The Girl With the Violet Eyes
by Shatter Me Fangirl
Summary: America and Maxon's son, prince Julian, is having his Selection in the midst of a war with New Asia. When April Clarke is chosen, she partially knows what to expect what with her aunt being a former participant. But are any of the Selection girls safe here? Will the New Asians unleash their anger on any of the girls? Will Julian find true love?
1. Chapter 1

**This is told back to back from April's point of view to Julian's point of view.**

April

I wake up to the noisy, obnoxious beeps of my digital alarm clock. My fist slams on the snooze button and I pull the covers over my head.

_WHY? _I yell in my head. _It's a SATURDAY, I shouldn't have to go to school._

But I suppose everyone will be there, it is the school play. Not just any dumb play, the plays at my school are a very big deal. It isn't called the Hansport School of Theatre for no reason. It's a private school my parents force me to go to, and I suppose it's okay there. Everyone who goes there has to be in at least two plays a year, and this one is the second one I've had to endure this semester. I hate going to school on weekends for any reason; I don't go to football games or do sports, and I detest Saturday rehearsals. But, being a senior, I have to go with everyone else, whether I'm performing or not.

"April!" My mom chimes from downstairs, "Get out of bed, you don't want to be late again!"

I groan and fall out of bed tangled in my polka dot sheets. The floor is cold and I haul myself up, throwing the sheets back on the bed, not bothering to make it.

Luckily today isn't a dress rehearsal, so I throw on an old grey sweatshirt, the same pair of faded jeans I wore yesterday, and my favorite shoes (cowgirl boots). Because it's Saturday and my lines are at school, I walk downstairs and sit at the table. My mom slams a ten dollar bill in front of me and I look up at her.

"No time for breakfast, sweetheart! You barely have enough time to catch a trolley! Get a coffee at the cafe next to your school- what's it called again?"

"Starbucks, mom. Not that hard to remember." I grab the ten and run towards the door. But right before I open it I grab a random magazine in the pile on the floor, I'll need something to read all day when I'm not on stage.

The trolley is already at the end of the street, picking up new passengers. I start sprinting and wave me hand around above my head.

"Wait!" I call out, "HOLD THE BUS!"

I'm the last one to get on before it starts moving. The trolley driver looks annoyed with me, but I couldn't care less. I look toward all the seats, breathless. Then I realize I'm the last stop.

Because all the stupid seats are full.

I walk past all the full seats and resort to going to the back of the bus. There's only one free space, and it's next to a boy who looks a year older than me. He won't meet my eyes as I sit down next to him, our legs inches apart.

"Hey…" I grumble. He looks out the window. So much for social interaction, I used to be an antisocial and I just started talking to people a couple years ago. It's not that bad having a social life, in fact it gets a little exhausting sometimes.

But I can't judge him just because he won't say hi to me, maybe he just doesn't want to talk to me personally. I did forget to brush my long red hair this morning, but it's not too messed up.

I think.

Bored, I flip open to a random page in the middle of my magazine. My heart almost stops.

It's a picture of Julian Schreave, Illea's prince and most eligible bachelor. This picture is actually really good, with his neatly combed blonde hair and electrifying blue eyes. His crown is too polished, and his suit and tie are too well tailored. Ugh, he's such a heartthrob. The girls at my school will be feral beasts, as they usually are whenever there's a new _Report_ being broadcasted. I'm thinking about how they'll be behaving _all_ day, and I accidently mutter

"Oh hell…" under my breath.

The boy looks over at me, his large hood casts a shadow over his face. His eyes go down to my magazine. I see him raise one eyebrow at me, silently asking me why a teenage girl wouldn't start swooning over a poster of Julian Schreave.

"What?" I glare at him, "What are you looking at?"

"Are you entering?" I nods to the picture, a grin on his face.

I sigh. Flip the page to a picture of the royal family; King Maxon, Queen America, Prince Julian and Princess Grace who's only seven. She's adorable.

"My aunt was in the Selection. Her name's Elayna Stoles."

"So you're a Three?" he asks. I look at him.

"How do you know my aunt was a Three?" I narrow my eyes. He turns red and I catch the deep blue of his eyes and the sun glinting off his blonde hair.

Oh god.

My jaw drops and the magazine falls onto my lap.

"You're… you're-"

"Hey, be quiet would you? I'm not supposed to be out right now-"

"But why here, on a trolley in Hansport Province?! What business could you possibly have here? Nothing exciting ever happens in this area, if you haven't noticed."

"Exactly." He smiles, "I enjoy seeing how the people of my country live their lives. It's a relief to get out of the palace every once in a while…"

"But your parents don't know you're gone." I open the magazine back to his picture and hold it up to his face. He smiles and lets me compare him to the poster.

I laugh once. The trolley comes to a stop and people start getting off.

"Why don't you spend the day with me? You want to know how people live…"

He looks uncertain, then we both get up and we climb off the bus, and hear its rumble as it drives away.

"So… what's your name?" Julian Schreave asks me.

"April Clarke. Elayna Stoles is my mom's sister."

"Are you going to enter like she did?"

"I suppose my mom will make me. And no offense, but I wouldn't enter if I could choose."

"Tell me why." he doesn't seem offended, which is a relief.

"Two words, broken hearts. Need I say more?" I turn around and start walking toward the starbucks.

"Where are you going?" Julian asks as he follows me.

"I didn't have breakfast, so we're starting our day with Starbucks. Ever been there?"

He looks at the white lines on the crosswalk as we almost get hit by a taxi.

"HEY! DO YOU _KNOW_ WHO YOU ALMOST JUST RAN OVER?!" I scream as Julian drags me into the coffee shop. Which is full of swooning girls with the same magazines as me. A girl I know runs up to me and holds the poster up to my face.

"APRIL HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?! God, he's gorgeous. You better not sign up, he's mine."

She's a little messed up.

"Alright, Taylor, why don't you have a latte or something? It's just a poster." I push her out of the way and get in line to order. Julian's looking at all the girls in the shop in awe.

"You okay there?" I nudge him. I wonder if I could get arrested for that.

"I… I just never knew how many girls adore me-"

"You know there's only, like, twenty girls in here. Say there's 1500 from each province, seems reasonable. That means there's 52,500 girls that will be in the running."

I laugh as Julian turns pale, I begin to wonder if he's going to throw up.

"Do you want anything?" I ask him.

"What do you mean?" he whispers. I roll my eyes.

"Do you want a coffee or something?" he just nods.

"I'll have whatever she's having." he says to the cashier.

We sit down at one of the tables in the back, Julian facing the wall with his hood on. I got us both an espresso. He's not meeting my eyes, and we drink in silence. Then,

"I'm going to be much different when the cameras are on, you know. I'll be charming and overly polite and I definitely won't look like this."

"I would hope so, otherwise the girls would be very disappointed."

"What makes you think you know so much about this?!" Julian's suddenly angry, and I can tell why. It's all the stress he's under with this thing and I know I'm not helping him much.

"You know, you could always go to a different girl that could give you fake, sugarcoated advice. My aunt left the Selection crying, so I don't know if there's much I can do for you."

He glares at me, I give him a half smile.

"Though you don't have to worry about me, I'm sure all the girls will be different too."

"What do you mean by that?"

"There's three kinds of girls that enter the Selection, Julian. One- they want to move up castes and they want power in a crown on their head. Two- they've had a monster crush on you their whole life and want you to fall in love with them. And three- the poor girls that want nothing to do with it but their parents force them so they get unfortunately chosen. I doubt any of the girls would be as… sassy as I am. They want to impress you, and you're not impressed with me?"

"No, not really."

"See?"

"My mother was in the third category." he mumbles.

"Wait… she was?!" his eyes widen.

"I've never told anyone that before. But yes- and if you tell this to anyone I will have you executed, do you understand?" Oh god he's serious. I nod. He takes in a deep breath.

"When my mother first came to the palace, she didn't want to be there. She had had a boyfriend back home she was about to marry. But… they had just had a bad breakup, so she was using the palace as a getaway to avoid him. She was Maxon's friend and not one of his many lovers. Soon after, her old boyfriend came to work at the palace as a guard and wanted her back. She would have gone home if my father wasn't so… deeply in love with her…. But, the point is that her parents forced her to sign up and she didn't want to be part of the Selection."

I always thought America was the same as all the other girls. I suppose I was wrong.

Wow. I never knew that.

"April?" he mutters.

I look up, suddenly out of a trance.

"Yes?"

"You won't tell anyone?"

"No. Never if don't want me to."

"Never is fine with me."

Later, we're both walking toward my giant school, where the rehearsal has already started. We walk into the theatre that is very full near the front as people go over their lines.

"I really don't feel like doing this today." I mumble.

"Then don't." Julian whispers. I smile.

We sneak out the back and walk into the school commons, where flowers and trees surround us. It's very peaceful here.

"This school is unbelievable." he says, "It's almost as big as the palace."

I wonder if this is a dream, because it's not right in any way that the prince of Illea would be walking next to me in my school's garden that I rarely visit.

"What was that you were saying… about broken hearts?" he suddenly asks.

"You should know what I meant by it."

"But what does it mean to you? Why do you fall in the third category?"

We walk in silence for a minute before I answer him. The gravelly path crunches under the soles of my boots.

"I just worry sometimes, that's all. I worry that if I actually got to go to the palace, there would be better girls for you there. And I'm sure a lot of teenage girls think that; that you deserve more than them. Because most princes would just marry a princess from a different nation...

This competition means everything to more people than you think. You're helping so many, especially if you choose girls from lower castes."

He thinks about what I'd said, then he stops in his tracks.

"You don't want your heart broken like your aunt. That's why you wouldn't sign up? What about becoming a princess-"

"I'm sure I could deal with that-"

"You don't just _deal with it_, April. It's a passion, a responsibility like no other! You don't just leave it as a- a side or a setback from living in a palace. This isn't a love game!"

"Maybe it doesn't even matter that you're telling me! I'm one in thousands!"

"But what if there are so many girls just like you! Girls that wouldn't treat this seriously-"

"Hell I would treat it seriously! But, NEWS FLASH JULIAN, one of those girls is going to be your wife. You're going to kiss them, and go on dates with them, and you won't always talk business, especially when they first arrive. And, guess what? Those girls are going to fall in love with you, and you'll have to send home those girls that you had such a great time with, the girls you kissed and hugged and called 'sweetheart' or 'dear'... and they're going to be crushed when you tell them to leave."

He stares at me, listening to my rant.

Because everything I just said is so utterly true.

And I hurt him.

Julian bites his lip and sits on the ground in front of me. I look down at him.

I watch as he puts his head in his hands.

He mumbles, "What the hell am I going to do?"

"Julian-"

"You're right, April. You couldn't be more right. I don't even know how to talk to a girl without getting into a fight, it's an awful trait I have. I'm like my grandfather."

"I didn't know your grandfather-"

"I'll never tell you that story unless you have my ring on your finger." he growls.

I cross my arms.

"I suppose you don't my advice or presence any longer?"

"No."

"Very well." I kneel down in front of him.

"Though sending girls home is inevitable, I know you'll make the right choice. And the girl you pick is going to be the happiest woman on earth for having you as a husband."

I get up and start to walk away, but I hear footsteps and he grabs my arm.

"Thank you, April." he says. I smile.

"Good luck, Julian."

And I walk away from him. Back to my old life where I know a form will be in our mailbox.


	2. Chapter 2

Julian

The morning a week after my encounter with April, I wake up to my maids frantically pulling open my curtains and letting too much light in.

"Stacia, dear, I really don't need you to-"

"Your majesty! It's 11:30 in the morning!"

_OH CRAP_

I sit up so fast I fall out of bed and onto the hardwood floor. How could it be this late?!

"Tell my father I'll be down in his study in five minutes. And bring me an espresso."

"Your majesty, you've never ordered an espresso-"

"Well, I need one now. Leave me, Stacia." She rushes out of the room and I get dressed as fast as I can, grabbing clothes from my enormous closet at random. I have about 20 seconds to comb my hair and it looks mediocre when I'm finished, but it will have to do. My interview with Gavril isn't until tomorrow anyway.

I wonder what April did when she saw the Selection form come in the mail. Will she sign up after the unexpected turns our conversation took yesterday?

I feel like I told her too much. I told her things she didn't need to know. But, I was desperate for someone to listen to me rant about my problems. She was the perfect person for that.

I think it helped me that she wouldn't sugarcoat anything, even though it was frustrating for me then. However, I'm even more anxious for the Selection than I was before.

My five minutes are up, Stacia catches up to me in the halls and hands me an espresso. I used to despise coffee, but now I'm sure I'll need it more than ever.

I don't want to admit that having them will also remind me of her.

When I walk into my father's open study, he looks at me and raises an eyebrow.

"Is something wrong, Julian?" he asks worriedly.

"Why would something be wrong, father?" I take a large sip from my cup and start tapping my foot rapidly on the floor. I try to smile, I'm getting jitters from the excessive amounts of caffeine. He gets up from his chair and walks over to me slowly.

I look down at myself and realize I'm a mess. I'm wearing two different shoes, pajama pants with my suit coat and a tie with kittens on it that I wore for Gracie's birthday a few months ago. My hair is barely brushed and my crown is crooked, I try to steady it, but my matted hair makes it slanted.

"Why weren't you at breakfast, son?" my dad asks.

"I forgot to set an alarm, my apologies."

The truth is that I couldn't sleep at all last night, I fell asleep at eight this morning when thoughts of April finally left my mind.

But they're back, and they won't be leaving for a while.

He looks down at the coffee in my shaking hand, and shakes his head.

"I understand the tension for what's coming, Julian, but this is a little out of control. I was going to ask you for something, but I think you should take the day off, clear your mind-"

"What do you need me to do, dad? I'm perfectly fine, I can do this."

He looks at me with uncertainty, and finally gives in. He takes the coffee out of my hands and places it on a table. I follow him to his desk, where there's a mountain of papers and manilla folders. His desk is usually very neat, maybe he's stressed too. He takes in a deep breath.

"Because of our negotiations with New Asia, I'm going to be too busy for picking out the last three girls of the Selection. I need you to select three girls for me, one from each province left."

"What are the provinces?" I ask while trying not to sound nervous.

He hands me three enormous stacks of paper, and points to the top one.

"The top is Kent Province Selection forms, the one in the middle is Waverly Province Selection forms, and the bottom pile is Hansport Province Selection forms. You just need to pick out one girl from each pile and hand me the three forms, you may burn the rest."

_Hansport_. The one province I'm terrified to choose from.

"Can I count on you to choose the right girls?" he asks.

"Absolutely. Thank you." I nod to him and leave the room, almost stumbling from the weight of all the papers. The climb up the stairs is torturous, and if I drop the papers I will never be able to sort them out. I almost do just that, but a guard helps me by catching them before they hit the floor. I gasp.

"You have no idea how much trouble you just saved me from." I laugh.

"That is my job, your majesty." he grins and carries my papers for me. The guard sets them on my desk and I shake his hand.

"What is your name?"

"Smith, sir."

"You are dismissed."

Officer Smith bows and leaves me alone in my bedroom. How the hell am I supposed to do this?! I don't know what traits make a good princess…

What did April say about girls who sign up for this?

_There's three kinds of girls that enter the Selection, Julian. One- they want to move up castes and they want power in a crown on their head. Two- they've had a monster crush on you their whole life and want you to fall in love with them. And three- the poor girls that want nothing to do with it but their parents force them so they get unfortunately chosen._

But that's what their personality is, it doesn't say on these forms what their intentions are. It doesn't tell me how to speak to them, or what their secrets are.

These forms tell me age, height, hair color, special skills, what their caste is. And as I'm flipping through identical forms, I have no idea what I want. I don't know any of these people! I pick two girls at random.

From Waverly Province, Madison Roland. Eighteen, brunette, brown eyes, caste five. Only because of something else she said.

_This competition means everything to more people than you think. You're helping so many, especially if you choose girls from lower castes._

From Kent Province, Leah Levan. Seventeen, blonde, amber eyes, caste two. She really is beautiful, I'll give her that. She looks like a princess already, and her father's a business man.

I'm looking through the Hansport forms, and by the time I get to the last one, I don't see April. My heart sinks, and I'm just about to choose a different girl when Officer Smith opens the door.

"Your majesty! It appears you dropped a form on your way up the stairs. I wasn't sure if you needed it or not, but here you go." He puts the form on my desk and leaves.

I can't believe my eyes. April's form, trying to get away from me.

Typical.

She looks smug in her picture, as if she knew I was going to see it after it was taken. Her violet eyes are like ones I've never seen before, they sparkle as they tease me, like she knows I'm going to pick her. Her red hair looks silky as a shampoo commercial and I'm utterly transfixed by her. Her special skills are acting and playing the violin, she's eighteen and her height is 5'5".

April Clarke. Caste Three.

Welcome to The Selection.


	3. Chapter 3

April

Maybe I shouldn't have looked so smug in my picture.

But the reactions from the others girls were pretty hilarious.

They're all looking at me like I know something, which is weird because I do. I know a lot of things. Things I probably shouldn't know, but I guess it doesn't matter. It's not like I'd ever tell anyone, I made Julian a promise and hell I am going to keep it.

Tonight, the Selected will be announced, and my mom wants me to be picked. My dad does too, but my mom is much more crazy about it than he is. I don't care if I don't get picked, but if I do… my life will change forever.

And I kind of like the sound of that.

I'm watching the Report with six "friends" whose names I'm having trouble remembering. They all start screaming when it comes on and we all see Julian's pretty face. This is one of the most important nights of his life, and I realize he was right.

He's much different on television. He's charming, easygoing, beautiful.

I feel so privileged to know him for who he really is, not just who he appears as.

Like me, he's very good at acting.

"Good evening, Illea!" Gavril says with a grin, "Tonight's the night you've all been anticipating, where we will announce all the names of our lovely Selection girls." He walks over to the royal family, where he asks Maxon,

"Looking forward to the announcement, your majesty?"

"Ah, yes. I do know just a few of them, but the prince did handpick a few of them himself." Gavril gasps and asks goes to Julian, who's trying to hide who uncomfortable he is.

"I believe this is the first Selection we've had where the prince picks his own girls! So you already know some on this list?"

"It was a very tough decision to make, but I was only able to pick three of them."

"Details, details!" Julian laughs and tries to find words. I can't imagine what he must be feeling right now, and I'm more glad it's not me.

"They're all very unique, but I'm very curious to see the rest of the ladies before I give too much away."

"In that case, lets meet them now!"

He begins the long list of names, starting with

"Miss Jane Edwards of Shishoba, Two." A pretty face pops up and I try to imagine the chaos going on in their house this very second. The thought makes me smile.

"Miss Gabrielle Evans of Carolina, Four." Her green eyes glow and catch my attention. She seems as smug as me.

"Miss Leah Levan of Kent, Two." Damn, she's intimidatingly gorgeous. Julian raises his eyebrows.

I wonder if our province is next when I hear what I've only ever heard in my dreams.

"Miss April Clarke of Hansport, Three." I look at Julian's reaction, he's just as smug as my picture. My jaw drops when he winks at the camera.

Suddenly all the girls are screaming and jumping up and down, I'm surprised to see they're all so happy for me. They all start shouting different things and I can't understand any of them, my dad runs to pick up the phone and my mom's jumping up and down on the couch.

Oh dear lord.

I barely catch the rest of the names as they're called. Gavril signs off and the television is turned off. The girls that came over leave with their parents and my dad is still talking on the phone. My mom covers me in kisses and keeps jumping around, she's so excited.

Dad finally hangs up and says, "Representatives of the royal palace will come everyday for the next week to get ready for your departure. Oh sweetheart, we're so happy for you! We always knew you'd go there!"

"Oh sure dad, sure!" I laugh as he and my mom wrap me in a hug.

I have no idea what to do, so I call Taylor, preparing for her rage about how she didn't get picked. But I guess tonight is full of weird surprises.

"APRIL! OH.. MY.. GOD. Are you ecstatic or what?! Did you know the prince _winked_ at you? I swear I saw it with my own eyes-"

"Wait- wait. Taylor, you're not mad?!"

"MAD?! I would have been mad if some Five got picked and not one of us, but you getting chosen is just as good as me getting chosen. You're going to have to write to me, you know!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay."

I never knew Taylor could be sane when it comes to talking about the prince, but she kept talking on and on about what it'll be like for me to go.

I guess I'll go. My life was pretty boring, and I could use some excitement. I obviously don't expect to win, and I don't want to fall in love with the prince. I don't want my heart broken when he sends me home. The three types of girls in the Selection are; girls that are in love with Julian, girls that want to be powerful and a One, and the girls that don't want to be there.

I don't fall in any of those categories, now that I think about it.

I crawl into bed thinking about how all the girls won't be able to sleep tonight, but honestly I'm exhausted. I barely have time to turn off the light beside me before I slip into unconsciousness.

**I know this chapter wasn't as long but please give me your thoughts!**


	4. Chapter 4

Julian

As I'm burning the rest of the forms, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"You're looking better." my father's voice.

"Yeah, it was just not knowing their names that got me messed up… dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"How did you get through meeting them all? That first day where you really start to get to know them… and… when you send people home."

"Take a walk with me, Julian." my father says as we turn through the doorway and slowly trail down the elegant hallways of our house.

"I was just like you. The Selection wasn't my idea and I didn't want to hurt people by sending them home. I also didn't have much experience with girls… The only thing that made me go that first day was knowing I could talk to America again, and that gave me some ease. Except you may not have that, Julian, and I'm sorry."

Except I will, because I'll finally get to speak to April again.

"But, once I started talking to some of the girls, it wasn't hard at all. You'll be surprised at how much some have in common with you, really! You won't have much to worry about. And, about sending girls home… most of the time it won't be easy, but here's what you do. You think that by sending them home you're giving them a better life than they had before they came here, then it isn't as hard."

"But, how can you tell if they need to leave?"

"You decide that, that's the beauty of it! If you think they're not fit to be a princess, or if you think you couldn't have them as a wife, then you send them home. This isn't just a hunt for a princess, Julian, it's kind of like a game. You have fun with the girls and you choose your wife, so it isn't all a matter of who isn't right for the job. You not only have to think about the country, son, you also have to think of yourself."

My dad pats me on the shoulder and leaves to do some important business. I wonder if I should follow him, but then I see Gracie and my mom come around the corner. Gracie is so adorable, with her braided red hair to match my mother's. She has our father's eyes. Her pretty pink dress flows behind her as she plays tag with mother.

"Julie!" She shouts my pet name and leaps into my arms with surprising grace.

"Hey Gracie!" I pull her up onto my shoulders and mother kisses us both on the forehead.

"Having a talk with your father?" she asks.

"Only about the first day that the girls are here."

"Oh, sweetheart, they're going to love you." my mom muses.

"Julie's got thirty five girlfriends! Julie's got thirty five girlfriends!" my sister sings. the guards around us smile as we walk by. I roll my eyes.

"And they're all going to want to meet you, Gracie! So be nice… and don't lick the frosting!"

We all laugh at our stupid inside joke, about Gracie's birthday two years ago where we told her over and over again to not lick the frosting, but her giant cake had half the frosting licked off when my father brought it out.

Mom heads off to work with my dad, while I show Gracie a few forms of the Selected.

"I like her, she's pretty." Grace points to the picture of April and holds the form in her hands.

"Yeah… she is pretty, isn't she?" I murmur.

"And she plays the violin, just like Mommy!" Gracie's face lights up.

"Yep. Just like Mommy." I laugh as she looks at the rest of them, finding something sweet about every girl. Seeing Gracie so happy and excited makes my heart swell, and I bet she does that to everyone in Illea whenever they see her.

The girls are obviously going to love her, and Grace will always want to be with them. But, I'm worried that she'll become friends with a girl that I'll send home later on. I don't want to hurt anyone, especially Gracie..


	5. Chapter 5

April

Today is the day I leave for the Selection, and I honestly cannot wait to get out of my boring life. I'm ready to start fresh, new.

My parents make a skeptical of me leaving for the palace, but I don't do anything too extravagant. I just wear my school's uniform and a pair of tall boots, to represent my school and "willingness to learn" or whatever. I leave my hair long and pin a few loose strands back.

"Do you want to take anything there with you, sweetheart?" my mom asks.

I look around my bedroom and spot only one thing; my grandmother's old hand mirror. She always used to tell me it was more than just a mirror, and that it was special. I grab it off a high shelf in my closet and look at my reflection.

I smile as I say, "Just this."

She nods and I walk down the stairs, saying goodbye to my father and meeting the palace's representative at the front door.

"Lady April, shall we depart?" ugh, he sounds so proper.

"Yes."

We walk out into the sun and I have to shield my eyes from the light. There's a private jet waiting in the middle of the street, and I climb up a couple stairs to get into it. The plane immediately takes off the second we're both on, and we're airborne by the time I sit down.

There's two other girls here with me, I sit next to the one with brunette hair and across from the one that looks like a supermodel.

"You're Leah Levan, aren't you?" I look at the blonde.

She grins, "Am I famous already?"

"I just recognize you. I suppose we'll all be famous if we aren't already."

Her smile fades and she looks out the window.

"I'm Madison Roland, it's very nice to meet you." The brown haired girl beams at me.

I can't help but smile, she's so sweet and friendly.

"Uh- I'm April. Clarke. April Clarke." I shake her hand as I stutter.

"You know, some of the planes have already landed at the palace? We're going to be the last ones there. The representative guy told us we're… special, so we'll be there in maybe a few minutes."

"Special?" I look to Leah for confirmation. She shrugs,

"I have a feeling we're just more important than the others. It makes sense for me… but tell me what castes you both are?"

"Three." I narrow my eyes at her, this girl seems like a self-loaded bitch.

"Five." Madison blushes at her low caste, and Leah rolls her eyes.

"Maybe it is just me then, and probably you too, April… Why are you wearing that, by the way? Isn't that a school uniform?"

"I'm sorry, should I have worn jeans and a t-shirt? This is probably the most formal clothing I have." Madison smiles at my sarcasm, I wink at her.

Leah is not amused by us at all.

The jet touches the ground and we hear a loud, resounding scream. A scream that belongs to thousands of people. And they're all just outside this door.

Gavril's voice booms in the open air, louder than the deafening screams.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I give you, Prince Julian's hand chosen Selected Girls,

Miss Madison Roland, Miss Leah Levan and Miss April Clarke!"

I don't know how the screams get louder, but when the door opens and I see countless people before me and the sun in my eyes… my eardrums shatter.

The palace is unbelieveable. It's gigantic, and the giant crowd makes a path for me to the huge doors. There's all cheering and chanting our names, but I can't stop trying to find the tips of the towers in the sky. I never knew the palace was this… grand, this magnificent, this glorious.

Leah and Madison are ahead of me, batting their eyelashes and posing for pictures. The crowd adores them, but I can't seem to take a single step. I watch in awe as the two girls make their way to the castle signing autographs and kissing babies' foreheads.

It's as if they were born to do this.

I stand in front of the jet, smiling like an idiot. The doors burst open and the seven year old princess comes running out, giddy and carefree. She runs past the Leah and Madison like they're nothing, like they don't even exist.

She's passing by the whole crowd like they're not even here.

Princess Grace is clutching an ivory violin in her hands, she beams at me and I look down at her. I can barely hear her voice, and everyone suddenly goes quiet, straining to hear what she has to say. I kneel down in front of her.

"I'm April." I smile.

"I know!" she squeals, "I'm Grace!"

"I know." Why can't I stop smiling?

"Do you know why your brother picked me?" I ask her.

"Easy! Because you're pretty and you can play the violin just like mommy!"

I grin and lean in to whisper to her, "I bet I can play better."

She grins back at me, "Prove it then." She holds out the violin and I take it in my arms.

The violin sounds like magic when I play it, but truthfully, I couldn't be better than the queen. She's been playing much longer than I have. Nonetheless, when I slide the bow across the strings and hear the notes ring in my ears, Grace's jaw drops. Because I cannot only play the violin, I can play the notes unbelievably fast. So fast that it seems more than one is being played at once, and it isn't just talent that got me this good. It is a gift.

I soon find myself dancing while I play, Grace follows me and tries to mimic my movements. So many spins and twirls and dips, I'm surprised I don't tire out halfway through the song.

The crowd has gone quiet as I play, Leah and Madison stare at me wide-eyed and jaw slacked. I begin to wonder if my music could hypnotize people, or change the world.

It just might.

The bow goes up and down and side to side on the instrument, my fingers are moving like crazy all over the strings as I try to keep the violin on my shoulder.

It's harder than it looks, and for some people, it looks impossible.

But by the time I'm done and I lower my hands to my sides, everyone is still speechless.

"Have I proved my skills enough for your liking, dear princess?" I grin.

She just nods and stares up at me. I bow to her and we both step inside the giant doors as they begin to close, separating us from the crowd of people.

No one claps. No one shouts. No one makes a sound.

Everyone just stares at me.

I'm so relieved when they finally shut.

**The song "Mirror Haus" by Lindsey Stirling is one of my personal favorites, and if I were to describe April's musical gift to you in a song, I would use this exact song. Please listen to it if you can it's really good! Thanks for reading I'll post the next chapter up by Friday.**


	6. Chapter 6

Julian

Good lord.

Has my mother ever played the violin like that?

Has _anyone_ ever played the violin like that?

She's unbelievable. She's too good. How… How? I thought she went to an acting school! Jesus. I think my mind just blew up, because I feel stupid. Brainless.

And I have no idea why.

I hear giggling, excited girls down the hall and I easily avoid them. They aren't supposed to meet me until tomorrow anyway. I think about how they'll all have to get serious makeovers (except Leah so I don't know what they'll do with her), and how they'll have to meet my dreadful tutor, Doris. She's going to teach them things like table manners and how to do a curtsy, but I've always thought she was just awful. The woman knows a lot, but damn, she's cruel if you don't get anything right.

The image of Doris screaming at April enters my mind, and I quickly push the thought away. They'll be fine. They'll be perfect.

I head out to the palace commons and sit at a bench in front of a large fountain. Gracie comes running up to me, jumping up and down when she finally reaches me.

"She can play even _better_ than mommy! Did you hear her, Julie?!"

"Yeah, I heard her all right! I'll bet she could teach you some things if you asked her." She starts to take off but I catch her arm and hold her back.

"Maybe not now, Gracie. The girls are busy."

"Doing what?" she stares at me.

"Getting makeovers and transformations, they're going to look even prettier next time you see them!" The word _makeover_ registers in my little sister's mind and she takes off like a bullet toward the castle. I already know the guards won't let her in, so I sigh and follow her around the hallways as she tries to find them.

When she does, I give the guards an apologetic smile and whisk Gracie up to her rooms.

"Will you have a tea party with me, Julie? You never have time anymore." I bite my lip as I think of all the work I have to sort through, but when I see the pleading look on her face, I can't help but say yes to her.

I stuff myself into a pretty, pink dress and switch out my shoes for high heels. When I come out of her closet, she falls over laughing at me. The heels hurt and I stumble around her room as I try to walk in them. I turn to look at myself in her sparkly mirror, and I nearly throw up.

Imagine a grown man in a princess dress… with a child's play lipstick smothered across his face. Yep, that's me. But I love her too much to complain about it.

I attempt to sit at her tiny table as she pours me a cup of "tea" (which is really just grape juice but I pretend like its hot tea anyway). We're surrounded by her stuffed animals and I sit criss cross on the floor as Gracie covers my cheeks in thick eyeshadow (too thick) and mascara.

A guard comes in the door, and I recognize him as Officer Smith.

He looks at us both and I give him a look that says, _help me_.

Smith's smile is too big for his face as he bows to us, and tells us we have to go down for dinner. Grace is disappointed that our tea party is going to end so early, but I stop Smith before he leaves.

"Smith!" I call out to him.

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Will you bring our dinners up to this room instead? We're in the middle of a very deep conversation with the stuffed animals, and we must stay here." We grin at eachother as he tries not to laugh.

"Of course, your highness, how silly of me! Shall I fetch some crumb cake for the animals as well?"

"YES PLEASE!" Gracie yells. I can't help but laugh this time, and Smith heads down the hall.

The next morning, as I'm walking toward the Women's Room to meet all the girls, I begin to feel sick. I don't know if I can do this…

I turn a corner and see April leaning against a wall, looking out a window. Her arms are crossed and she's pouting, but she looks magnificent in her green, flowy dress as it fans out around her in lime waves. Her hair is pinned up too, the violet in her eyes is stunning.

"Shouldn't you be with the other girls? I don't think you're supposed to be out here." I call to her.

"I don't know if I can do this." she says.

"Why would you say that? You've been here but a day." She looks at me, and points to the room's door as she glares.

"The girls in Hansport were so annoying whenever they would obsess over you, Julian. But the girls in _that room_ are like Hansport times seventeen. All they do is either talk about you or fight over you, which is so stupid I can hardly stand it! I don't want to go back in there, I want an espresso! Where's the coffee around here?!"

"Listen to me, April. I don't want to go in there any more than you do. But we both have to do this, and I promise you'll get a coffee once we're done, alright? Just… just pretend that you like them, please? This means a lot to me."

She drops her hand and sighs.

"Fine. Alright, I'll go in." She shrugs helplessly and clicks her tongue as she trudges back inside, slamming the door behind her. She's very amusing, I'll give her that.

I wait a couple minutes after she goes in before I enter the room. All the girls stop their talking and face me. The sun shines into the room, so I mostly just see their silhouettes.

I flash one of my perfect smiles as I look the ladies over, some sigh with a lovestruck feeling.

"Good morning, ladies!" I say. I spot April in the back of the room with Madison Roland, another girl that I chose myself. I wink at them and Madison gets all giddy, April just smiles and shakes her head at me.

As I look at the other girls in the room, my eyes adjust to the light and I notice eye colors, extravagant dresses, hairpins, flashy smiles, sweet innocent looking girls. Are these really the girls April said were just fighting over me a minute ago? Will they show me their real personalities, or just make desperate attempts to impress me by pretending to be someone they're not?

I hope to god I can tell the difference.

"Ladies, if you don't mind, one at a time I'll be calling you over to meet with me. I'm sure you're all eager to meet, as am I. So I won't take up too much of your time. Do forgive me if I'm slow with names; there are quite a few of you."

The girls giggled quietly at that, and I went to the first girl sitting near me. Her pin says Jane Edwards, but I can't remember what province she's from.

She gets up and I walk her over to one of the couches near the windows.

"Hello, my dear." She smiles too big as golden curls bounce around her neck.

"Hello, your majesty."

"Julian is fine, if that's alright with you." Jane blushes as she nods.

"Yeah, that's… fine with me." She hardly knows what to say, and she keeps fidgeting with her dress. I suppose I'm as nervous as her, but I don't show it.

"So, tell me, Jane, how are you liking the palace so far?"

"Oh, it's wonderful! My maids are so nice, and the dresses are unbelieveable. I can imagine how long it would take to make an article as intricate as this. I would know, I helped make costumes before I came here."

"Really? I'm sorry, but could you remind me what caste you are?"

"I'm a Two, and though I suppose I could be a model or a singer, but I just really love designing dresses and outfits for my parents' clothing brands."

"Brands?"

"Oh they own more than one, but I help design clothes for Gucci."

"Gucci?! Wait, you're telling me that your parents own one of the most popular clothing brands in Illea? And you've designed some of their clothes?"

She grins and nods, "I may not be doing all the sewing, but I've designed coats and handbags, a few dresses here and there. My parents will give me the company once I'm old enough… If I don't stay here, that is."

I nod slowly.

"Do you design men's clothes or just women's clothes?"

"I can make anything, why do you ask?"

"Well… you don't have to do this if you don't want to, but I could get you any materials you need to design clothes while you're here. Maybe you could help design me a new suit if you had nothing else to do?"

Her face lights up and she gasps,

"Oh, your majesty-"

"Julian-"

"Oh, Julian I would be honored! I would absolutely love to, and it would be a lot of fun for me."

I laugh, "Just tell me what you need and I'll send it to your room, alright?"

Jane nods really fast, already envisioning what it'll look like, "I'll make you a list."

We both get up and I bow to her, she curtsies and goes back to her seat.

Now I only have to do this thirty four more times...


	7. Chapter 7

April

This. This is boring. None of the girls can take their minds off him, Madison goes to some of the other Fives to talk with them. I stay on the couch in the back of the room, there's a Gucci magazine there. I begin to flip through it absentmindedly.

Maybe the girls will calm down a few weeks into the competition, if I actually stay here that long. And it's not just about Julian kicking me out or not, I can decide if I want to leave. If I don't think this is right for me.

I watch as Julian whispers and chats with all the girls, laughing from time to time and smiling.

He's never not smiling. It's kind of scaring me. The girls are blushing like crazy and giving him fake smiles. They should just be themselves, not pretend to be someone they're not.

Because they would have to be that person for the rest of their life if Julian chose them.

It's all very complicated.

I want coffee.

I soon doze off with my feet hanging off the couch armchair and leave the magazine on my head. It's actually very comfortable, and I fall asleep a few minutes later. Luckily, I don't snore.

Later, the sun gets in my eyes as the magazine is taken off my head. I look up and see that Julian and I are the only two people left in the room. He's staring down at me, raising one eyebrow as if to say he couldn't believe what I was doing.

"Where's everyone else?" I grumble.

"I sent nine girls home, there's twenty six left, counting you. Would you care to explain why you're sleeping in this room at 10:30 in the morning?"

"Do you mean I missed breakfast?!" I yell.

"Well, I forgot you were back here! I thought you'd left a while ago to go on some crazed espresso hunt, but I suppose I was wrong."

"I fell asleep because I didn't get any coffee." I growl.

"Well, lets get you some while we officially "meet", my dear."

"Don't call me that." I snap as I get off the couch and start walking with him.

"Why not?" a smile plays on his lips.

"Because then I just feel like one of your little precious, prepped up Selection dollies."

"But isn't that what you are?"

"No. No I am not."

"Then what are you?"

"I am the lazy ass chick you tell all your problems to." He raises his eyebrows at my language, and I just laugh.

"Damn, girl. You really do need coffee in the morning."

He gets me a big cup of espresso and grabs one for himself. We walk down the long hallway and out to the garden.

There's a huge fountain with benches surrounding it, and a large open common where they must have parties. Green, luscious grass covers the ground that doesn't have a gravel path. There are huge flower gardens and hedge mazes, everything has color and beauty. The perfect sky lies above us and I can't help but stare at it all.

"It's beautiful." I whisper. I look at Julian to see he has no expression at all.

"Hey, you alright?" I nudge him and he looks at me.

"April, I've been smiling for three straight hours and I just need to give my face a rest, okay?"

"Sick of smiling?"

"I enjoy your company a great deal, and I… I feel like I can just be myself with you. You are the person I tell all my problems to, you know. I don't have to smile when I talk to you."

"Must feel nice, having no expression whatsoever." I mimic him and he actually laughs, but then goes back to normal.

We sit on a bench off in one of the flower gardens, reds and purples and pinks surround us. I can't help but run my hand along the prefect grass, just to feel how soft it is. I have a feeling I'll want to be out here a lot, away from everyone else.

"What category did you say you fall into? The power hungry, the lovestruck girls, or the people that don't want to be here?"

"I don't fall in any of those categories, Julian."

"So… you don't want my money, you don't want me, and you don't want to leave. What the hell _do_ you want, April?"

I grin as I look at him.

"Excitement."

Julian raises his eyebrows.

"It's just… my life was really boring before I met you, Julian. I want something exciting to happen to me while I'm here, I want to do something thrilling."

"Such as..?"

"Anything. Do you have any ideas?"

He smiles his genuine smile as he ponders.

"Oh yeah. I have a lot of ideas. We'll do them, don't worry. If excitement is what you want, then I will give you the most thrilling dates I can come up with."

"Let's not call it a "date" though." I narrow my eyes.

"Then what shall we call it?"

"A rendezvous!" I shoot my hand up in the air, as if to put pizzazz in the title.

"Alright, crazy, we'll call it a rendezvous."

"Thank you." We both finish our coffee and get up. A maid comes out with a tray and takes our mugs. We continue to walk through the garden, Julian links his arm with mine.

"This is kind of.. flipped." I mutter.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, first you and I were walking through my school's dead common wearing grey sweatshirts. Now, we're strolling through your fantasy garden wearing thousand dollar tailored finery."

"Your life has always been very different from mine." he sighs.

"What?"

"I've always wanted to live like you, April. You took your life for granted."

"If you had my life, you'd get bored pretty fast."

"Why was your life so boring, really? Tell me."

"There was just nothing to do! Everyday was the same thing over and over again. I was an only child who went to an acting school and played the violin in the evenings. Coffee was my life."

"It sounds so carefree though. No duties, no foreign negotiations. You don't have to run the country if you're a Three, and it makes living in Hansport sound like a dream."

"I bet a lot of people think of living in the palace as a dream too. I mean, this place doesn't seem like it's real. There must be benefits to living here."

We turn a corner and start walking back toward the palace.

"Though I always have too much work and with the Selection going on now, I'm always busy and don't get much time to do the things I love. Like if my family went on a three week vacation for instance, who would run the country? You… you can't abuse the fact that you're royalty. Being that means so much more than maids attending to you and fancy clothes. Some girls, they just think that being a princess is having everything done for you and getting to wear a pretty crown. No, that's not what it is. Well- actually it can be like that from time to time, but that's not the point."

"What's your favorite thing about being the prince?" I ask him.

He smiles at me and we walk back into the palace hallways, wandering.

"My favorite thing… is that one day, I'm going to be King. And I'll be able to make this country a better place for all my people. Knowing that I will have the power to do that, it's so hopeful. I can do great things, April, I really can. I just need someone to help me, I need someone who will keep me going on days that I don't want to do anything. Someone who will love me and stay by my side no matter what. I need a wife."

Soon, we're standing in front of the Women's Room, and I still haven't come up with a response to everything he just said.

"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" I ask him.

"Paperwork." even saying the word makes him exhausted.

"I can help you-"

"April, no offense, but you're just about as good at doing my work as my little sister. I'll be fine, thank you though."

"I guess I'll see you later then."

Julian bows to me and kisses my hand, I feel myself blush.

"We'll go on a real rendezvous soon, I promise." he laughs as he says the made up word for our date, "Until then, try to be nice with the other girls. Don't fall asleep with a magazine on your head, alright?"

"Okay."

I watch him go before I force myself into the Women's Room.


	8. Chapter 8

Julian

The next morning, I am given a list from Jane of the supplies she'll need for her designing. They're just simple things, very easy to get. I send my maid Stacia to go get what she needs and I head down to breakfast.

Most of the girls are already here, but when I poke my head in the door, I don't see April. She must still be in her room. For a second I debate whether or not I should go to her, and I almost decide that I'll just do nothing about it.

But she did stay on that couch for three hours yesterday, and no one came in to find her. So I start to head up to her room.

I wonder how her day with the other girls went, I thought about it while I was bent over my work yesterday. Last time I checked, she could barely stand them.

She's not like any of the other girls.

April wouldn't be in the Selection if I hadn't chose her, simple as that. Even the girls that don't want to be here like the other girls and make friends easily. April wants to stay here, but she's not too interested in being the princess. She doesn't want power.

She also doesn't want her heart broken by me. I have such a hopeful feeling that maybe she's just scared of falling in love, and it's not that she just doesn't like me.

I would find it hard to believe that she didn't.

I knock on her door and no one answers. I knock again, harder. Still, no answer. I push her door open to see her still lying in bed with the covers pulled over her head.

Her room is big (not as big as mine but still fairly sized), with green carpet that reminds me of the grass outside and ivory walls. She has a violin in the corner of her room and a balcony. Her bed is black and white and I realize that nothing in her room matches anything. She must have wanted it like this, because I'm guessing most girls would want matching things.

Once I'm standing in front of her bed, I realize I don't know how to do this. I reach out and start to shake her a little bit, softly saying her name.

"April… April… time for breakfast-"

"_Go away…_" she groans.

"April! Where are your maids?"

"I told them to leave and never come back. I don't need any freakin maids, or a butler for that matter. So leave! God, just let me sleep!"

"April, it's Julian. And you can't not have any maids!"

She slowly pushes the covers down to look at me. I cross my arms and stare down at her.

"I don't want _maids_." she growls.

"You're acting like a child. We're going to be late to breakfast, so I'm going to head down now. If you're not in that room in ten minutes _tops_, then I will be giving you five maids by force."

"Why are you so mean to me?" she says with a grin on her face.

I start to walk back to the door as I say, "Because this can't be how every morning goes, April. You have to know how to be prepared for things and show up on time-"

"Why?" she asks.

_Because you may just be my princess someday._ But I can't say that to her.

"Because I said so."

And I slam the door behind me, her laughs fill the hallway as I walk back to the dining hall.

The dining room is nearly full by the time I get back, except for April's empty chair. I take my seat at the table where my family sits, mother's helping Gracie make a snowman pancake while my father looks over New Asian documents with uncertainty.

"Updates?" I murmur as I sit next to him. He just shakes his head and bites his lip.

"Dad.. what's wrong? Has it gotten worse?" I whisper.

"They're so ruthless, their King refuses to negotiate with us. They want no part in any alliance with us, son. What they want is something we cannot give them."

I'm silent as I wait for his answer. He says nothing, his face starts to turn pale.

"Maxon?" my mother hesitates. "Maxon look at me."

He slowly turns his head, and looks at one of us at a time. His eyes rest on America.

"They want the palace." he whispers, "They want to take over Illea…"

"And nothing is going to stop them" he finishes.

_The image of my mother, Gracie and I getting executed in front of my dad comes into my head. The King is here, and he doesn't want us running Illea because he wants the land, the people for himself. The tall, belligerent leader points a gun at my mother. Dad tries desperately to get out of different guard's too tight grasps, screaming something I can't make out. I can see the look of pure pain on his face as he watches mom get a bullet put through her chest, and she crumples to the ground, dead. The three of us all start screaming as none of us can get to her, I watch in horror as her lifeless body is dragged away from us._

_It happens to Gracie next, only somehow it hurts more because she's too young._

_Everything becomes faded, and I see the barrel of a gun in front of me. I look at my father, his face shows unrestrained, lethal amounts of anger and grief. I realize I'm all the family he has left._

_But it all goes away when the worst pain I've ever felt spreads across my chest like fire. _

_I fall to my knees._

Breakfast is over. Everyone has already left, except for the one person that isn't afraid to come up to me with absolutely no filter and say whatever the hell she wants.

She slams a fist on the table, knocking me out of my nightmare.

"Hey, Julian. You look dead."

"I think I am dead… are you dead too?" I reach out to put a hand on her face and she slaps it away.

"Julian, I don't even think you're authorized to tell me what's going on, but breakfast ended ten minutes ago. You've been here for over an hour and you've eaten nothing."

"I'm fine April, I just need to go think for a minute." I get up from my chair and shuffle toward the door. My shoes scuff on marble, and she catches up to me halfway there.

"Julian." April says, she puts a hand on my shoulder.

"April." I mumble.

We both say nothing, I can tell she has no idea what's wrong with me. And for a second I wonder if I'll have to end the Selection.

Because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything happened to them.

"So there's nothing I can say? Nothing I can do?" She looks in my eyes trying to find something, anything.

She finds nothing.

April sighs and walks out the door, I don't know where she's going, but I don't feel like following her. In the end I just head up to the library, hoping a book will help me clear my mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry this one took me so long, just been wrapped up in schoolwork this week. I'll finish the next one before Monday! Enjoy!**

April

Something obviously isn't right with Julian. I don't know what it is, I don't know how I could help him.

I'm surprised to see that I actually want to help, but … I suppose he is my friend after all.

The Women's room is full by the time I get there. Most of the girls are in groups of three, chatting about god knows what. I don't want a part in their conversation, in fact I want to go back to the garden.

I realize that back in Hansport, I was very social with everyone around me. Now… I can't stand being around most of the people here.

But I guess I'm stuck here for the day.

I spot a girl in the back of the room at a table alone, she's drawing something and I walk over to her. It feels rude to look over her shoulder, but her drawings look so realistic and detailed.

"What are you drawing?" I ask. She didn't know I was behind her so when I ask her she jumps out of her seat.

"Jesus you scared me!" she laughs. Her blonde curls bob up and down around her face, and I almost reach out to touch them but I realize how weird that would be.

"Sorry. I just wanted to see what you were drawing. I'm April, by the way."

"I know. You were one of the prince's picks. God, I'm so jealous!"

"Well, being one of his picks doesn't bring my chances up anymore than yours. He didn't know any of us before we came here anyway!" We both laugh as I sit down next to her.

I'm surprised at how smoothly and easily the lies comes pouring out of my mouth.

"What's your name?" I ask her.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Jane. From Shishoba."

"You're a Two then?" I say.

"Oh please don't think bad of me for being a Two! Only some of the Twos are snobby and self absorbed, and I try very hard not to be that."

"I wouldn't judge anyone by their caste, but I understand. Some Twos here are cruel."

"Ugh, tell me about it! That girl, Leah Levan… she tripped a Four in the hallway, she screamed at her maids."

"She's awful." I whisper, "But you're not like that."

"No, god no. I'm a freaking saint." she grins and it takes all my self control to not fall over laughing. I try to calm myself down by looking at her drawings, which is just the same drawing of a shirt at different angles. Jane sees me looking over it and says,

"This is just a design I'm working on for my parents' company."

"What company?"

"Gucci." My jaw drops.

"Your parents…"

"Own Gucci? Yes. And I help with the designs of their clothes."

"Are all the clothes your work?"

"Not all of them, but I'd say about 75 percent."

"Jane, that's incredible."

"The prince wants me to design a special suit for him! Can you believe it?!"

No, not really. The Julian I know is sarcastic and gets worked up over having to communicate with people. Thus I finally recognize that there are two sides to Julian; there's his unguarded side where he says whatever the hell he wants and doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Then there's the side of him that sits rigidly straight in his throne, and every move every breath everything he says or does is crucial and sets an example for Illea. His second side cannot let him be himself; he must be a role model, the epitome of perfection and elegance and royalty. He must be a prince.

I wonder if I am one of the only people that gets to see his unguarded side, because I'm betting almost every girl in this room is seeing Julian Schreave as someone he's not. But maybe he is, but he hasn't been very.. formal with me.

And I think I really like it.

"Do you want to try making something?" Jane asks me.

"Oh yeah, yeah of course! I don't know how though…"

"It's super easy once you get the hang of it! You just… come up with a few ideas… then you draw them as best you can."

"That's a very vague explanation, Jane." I snicker.

"I've been doing this since I was seven! I guess I don't know how to properly describe it?" She sighs, "Sorry, April. You… could tell me some ideas though, and I'll draw them!"

"I'll tell you when I think of something." I get up and start heading towards the door.

I just don't want to be in that room.

There's nothing for me to do, so I wander. My heels click against the marble floors, my blue dress flows around me in long waves. It's too much of a formal dress, but it was what was in the closet. My maids left me a few dresses before I told them to leave, and I think they'll just reluctantly drop clothes off when I need them.

Maybe I should give my maids another chance? They're not trying to be intrusive or anything, and I'll need them at some point. What were their names again… Mandy… Michelle… ugh, who was the last one? Claire! That's right, Claire.

I'll have to go find them, apologize for kicking them out. But… where do I find them?

I hear footsteps as a girl my age wearing black comes up to me, holding a camera and beaming.

"Hello, April! I'm your photographer, Alice. Your dress looks so beautiful today? Do you mind if I take a picture of you in it?"

"Uh.. sure! Here?" Alice laughs at my response.

"I was thinking a better background… outside maybe?"

"That'd be great, actually. I need to get out."

We walk side by side out the doors to the common.

"How about in front of that fountain?" she asks, pointing. I shake my head.

"Maybe the garden? It's really pretty there."

"I haven't seen the garden yet! Let's go there."

I stand in front of a bunch of different colored flowers, my dress almost blends in with them. Alice gets on one knee and holds up her camera, trying to get a good angle.

"Smile! Come on, April. You're not smiling."

"I thought you were just getting the camera right." I mumble.

"You could try not smiling? Maybe that'd make for a unique shot."

I cross my arms and look down at her. There's a slight breeze that makes my wavy dress rustle against the grass, and pulls my long hair to the side. I give her a half smile and she snaps the camera, grinning.

"That picture's going in a calendar, I just know it!"

"Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you by any chance… know where all the maids in the castle stay?"

"Well, sure. They're really close to me, actually."

"I have a few girls I need to speak to."

"Who?" we start walking back toward the palace.

"My maids. I kicked them out of my room because I didn't want them, but now I feel like I should apologize. I'm going to need them."

Alice doesn't look at me as we walk, but after a few seconds, she says

"I bet they're super sweet, and you probably should apologize… but do you still want them?"

"For some things, but I don't want them… bothering me when I'm trying to focus on something."

"I don't think they would do that, they'll leave you alone when you want them to. What are their names?"

"Mandy, Michelle and Claire. They're all blondes."

"Oh! I think I know a Michelle. We'll go find her, okay?"  
>"Right now?"<p>

"If that's alright…"

"Yeah, okay. Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

Julian

Books are one of my favorite things.

I may not get a lot of time to read them, but that doesn't stop it from being one of my favorite pastimes. I love stories, I love characters and descriptive writing. It also keeps my worries and official duties at a distance. Books are an escape from reality.

The library here is giant. It was once estimated that this room holds one million titles, no more, no less. Shelves are all over the high walls and line the floors, it seems to go on forever. And I am one of the only people that gets to enjoy it. Because our library is not public; mom, dad, me and Gracie are the only four people that get to use it. Which sucks, because I would let an entire province of people check out books here if I could.

Maybe that'll be one of the changes I'll make when I become King, to let thousands use my library. Everyone should have access to books, no matter what caste.

I'll make a lot of changes, I know I will.

I just don't know what they all are yet… I still have a long way to go.

Right?

I should be on a date right now, but I don't know how to approach one of my selected without being too forward. I can barely talk to them, and what if I take them somewhere they don't like? I have no idea what a lot of their interests are. All I really remember is April telling me she wants to do something exciting. Exciting… there are a lot of things I could do with her that would be thrilling her. But where to start.

I flip the pages of my book absentmindedly, I forget what this one's called. I always pick up every one I find, the title or the genre doesn't mean much to me. I've come to think that I've read everything. But that's not possible.

I put the book back on a random shelf and leave the library, nodding at guards as I start to head up to my room. I keep my hands behind my back and show little emotion, as I briskly walk the long length of many hallways. I've gotten lost in my own house before, but I've come to make routes and remember what's around each corner.

I have trouble believing that the girls actually know where they're going when they come to dinner, or go anywhere around here. So, I'm surprised when I see Lady Madison, the Five I chose, strolling through the halls. Her purple dress sways as she walks, her long, brown hair is being held back with a jeweled clip. She looks beautiful, all the girls do. But when I see a girl alone, she always has a special kind of beauty. A kind of independence and grace.

"Are you lost, Lady Madison?" I say as I'm walking up to her. She jumps slightly.

I smile as she notices me and immediately curtsies, I bow slightly to her, my hands are still behind my back.

"Good Afternoon, your majesty. I was just looking for a library, I was too stupid to remember to bring a book for myself…" she realizes that she just called her herself stupid in front of me, and does a quick face palm. I find myself laughing a little as I take her arm and link it with mine. Madison blushes and laughs sheepishly.

"I'll take you to the library, you can get as many books as you want there."

"Thank you, your majesty, I really appreciate it."

"Julian is fine, I don't everyone calling me 'your highness' or 'your majesty'. It gets very annoying sometimes."

Madison laughs, more bold this time, as she says "You really find it annoying?! I bet any girl here would never get sick of that title if it belonged to them."

"Including you?" I grin.

"Yes, including me." she grins back.

Maybe I can figure out whether this girl wants me or the crown. I need to be able to distinguish all the girls, because I want someone that wants not only the crown, but me too.

"Why wouldn't you get sick of it, you say, if you had the title of a princess?" I ask. Madison smiles genuinely, and I call tell that what she's about to say is her complete honesty.

"Because I'd have you, of course, Julian."

Now it's my turn to blush wildly. We reach the library and when we walk in, Madison looks up and stumbles, bewildered. I catch her just before she falls to the floor.

She has to tilt her head up to see how high the shelves go. Her face is the picture of awe, and she lets go of me as she slowly makes her way down a long aisle of books. For a minute I just watch her, she starts running around and climbing up a ladder to get higher. She starts laughing like crazy, as if she can't believe this is real. She reminds me of Gracie on Christmas morning, running to the tree surrounded by presents.

"I have no idea what to choose!" Madison yells as she scours the shelves. She climbs back down and walks back over to me, she's breathing fast and her brown eyes are wide.

"I could give you a few recommendations." I suggest, a hint of excitement in my voice.

"Really? You like to read?" Her face lights up.

"Are you kidding? Reading is practically my life!" she laughs loudly and tilts her head back.

I can't stop myself from running towards the shelves, I pick out books that I recognize and make a pile of them. Madison takes them all in her arms and the stack reaches over her head, I can't see her face. I start laughing, her shoulders shake as she does with me.

"Okay, I think that'll do for now… Should I get more?" I ask.

"Maybe… I dunno, you think this is enough?!"

She's awesome.

"I'll help you back to your room, okay?"

"Okay! I can't see anything!"

We laugh all the way back to her room, she dumps them all on her bed before she starts reading on her balcony. I leave her to her books and go back up to my room, feeling satisfied.


	11. Chapter 11

April

My maids graciously returned to my room, and I apologized for not being too nice to them. They were surprisingly very forgiving, and when I started to say I was sorry, they just waved it off and started cleaning up my already spotless room. I stayed there for a few hours, practicing my violin and taking a couple naps. They asked me about my old life in Hansport, and wanted me to tell them how I thought my time in the palace was so far.

"Do you like the prince? Has he gone on a date with you yet?" Mandy asks.

"Well, it's only the first week. I've only gotten to speak to him once, but I think he's very kind." Lies. Once again they save my ass.

"Nice, very good. What else?" Michelle tentatively pushes me to say more. I grin.

"He's _very_ attractive. His eyes practically sparkle when we talk." They all laugh lightly.

That isn't really what I think. Sure, he's good looking. His eyes electrify the space around him. But I wouldn't think of him as someone I could fall in love with.

It's just not such a good idea when I could be sent home so easily.

I find Alice in the hall, she shows me the picture of me in the garden.

"Didn't it come out amazing?!" she's squeaks, overly excited.

The sun shining off my blue dress is perfect. The flowers blend in with the sky and my clothes. It looks as if I am a goddess in a flowery field.

"It's… it's beautiful, Alice. I love it. You're really good at photography."

"Well, I am your camera person for a reason!" she laughs, "I have to go get this processed, but I'll see you later!"

She goes off down the hall as fast as she is allowed, we can't run in the halls.

Jane is in the back of the Women's Room making finishing touches on the shirt I saw earlier. She notices me when I walk up to her, she smiles then goes back to working. I sit down next to her. The shirt is jeweled and has a leather jacket to go over it, I watch her in silence for at least 30 minutes before she speaks.

"April? Not to be mean, it's not that I don't like you here, but do you really have nothing else better to do?"

I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know. I just like watching your hands, seeing the drawing get more and more detailed. You have a gift."

"Well, so do you. I heard you when you played the violin for the princess."

"Oh yeah?"

"Did you see her face then? She loved you." I laugh softly.

"I haven't seen her since then."

"I'm not sure she's allowed to see any of us. If she came to be friends with one of us, us leaving would really hurt her. Don't you think?"

"Now that you mention it, you're right. And she's young, so she may be sad for a long time after."

"I really want to meet her though, she's so cute." Jane sighs contentedly,

"I want to go on a date with Julian, too." she says.

"I bet once you're done with his suit, he'll want to wear it on your date with him."

"Ah, so I should finish his suit, _then _ask him on a date."

"No, Jane. I don't think you ask him."

"What? Why?"

"Girls don't chase boys." I advised.

"Wait.. he has to ask me?" she seems stunned.

"Well, yeah. That's how it works, the guy asks the girl. And, he's the prince. He should be the one to let you know he wants to see you more."

"What if it takes a long time though? What if he sends me home without going anywhere with me?"

"You joined the contest, there may be consequences. Look behind you, Jane. What do you see?"

Jane turns around to see all the other girls in the room, her face turns pale.

"This is going to be harder than I thought…" she grumbles.

"It's okay Jane-"

She gets up from her seat, I do too.

"Can we go for a walk, April? I need some air."

"Sure, yeah."

Outside, Jane and I lay in the grass in an open field. Her pink dress fans out around her, her gold curls make her look like a barbie doll. I however, am average next to her.

She looks like a princess. I look like a prepped up girl from Hansport.

We lay there for a long time, until the sun begins to set.

"Do you find it strange how we can get to know eachother by saying nothing at all?" Jane murmurs.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I just took a three hour nap." I sigh.

"Is that what you've been doing most of the day? Napping?" she asks.

"I take naps all day because I don't sleep at night." I mumble bluntly.

"You don't sleep at night because you take naps all day." she laughs and I can't help but do the same. The sky turns pink and purple, I've never seen it look so pretty. It makes everything glow slightly, and I want to stay here forever.

Michelle and a maid I don't recognize come into view, Jane props herself on her shoulders. The maid escorts Jane back toward the palace, she waves to me as she walks away.

"See you in the morning, April." she slurs.

I yawn and give her a half wave. Michelle senses that I don't want to get up, so she lays down next to me.

"Hey Michelle." I look over at her, she smiles.

"I have a note for you, delivered to me by the prince." she grins and holds it up.

"Gimme." I mumble, Michelle hands it over and looks up at the darkening sky.

_April,_

_You said you wanted excitement, and I plan to give you just that. Meet me in the garden tomorrow at 2:00, and I left pants for you in your room. You're going to want to wear them for this activity._

_Your friend,_

_Julian_


	12. Chapter 12

Julian

The sun beats down on my back in the early afternoon, as April comes into my line of vision. She's wearing the pants I left her, her red hair is pulled back into a ponytail. Her white shirt is partially see through, I can see the straps of her bra under the thin fabric.

I feel my heart begin to race as I try to stay neutral.

Her purple eyes widen as she sees the large, white horses behind me.

"Horseback riding? You rebel." she teases me.

"Hey, it's not as girly as it seems. These stallions can run fast as hell." I grin and help her onto one, and I climb onto the one next to her.

"They have names?" she asks.

"The one you're on is Fire, the one I'm on is Ice."

"Fire and Ice."

"April and Julian." she rolls her eyes.

"So what? No helmet? No safety precautions?"

"You trust me, don't you?"

"Hm. Let me think about that for a minute…" she looks to the sky and pretends to ponder, I can't help but laugh. Our horses begin to start walking down a long path, April grips the reigns and looks over at me. She raises one eyebrow.

"No lessons? You're just going to let me fend for myself?" she asks.

"You wanted excitement! Besides, it's not like Fire is going to flip over. You'll be fine."

"I'm surprised by how much trust you put in me."

"I don't trust you, I trust the horse."

"Hilarious." The horses begin to faster, April seems unfazed by it.

"Is this what you do when you're not working?" she asks.

"In my free time? Mostly I read, but I do a lot of other things. Archery, watching movies, swimming, hunting, painting, horseback riding, running-"

"Jesus, Julian. I thought you got like, three minutes of free time a day."

"Well, when one has access to so many activities, why not take advantage of them? I also get days off, you know. Though my work does put a lot of stress on me… I try to do other things to keep it from... consuming me."

"Have you really done all those things? I can't imagine you watching a movie."

"But you can see me hunting or using a bow?"

"Actually, yes. I do see that." she smiles, "What's your favorite thing to do?"

"Reading. I prefer that over anything else. Do you enjoy books?"

"I suppose books are alright… I've never been able to find a good one. Mostly, I read plays."

"And do you like them?" I ask.

"Sometimes they're good, sometimes they suck."

"Would you like me to find you a good book?" I look at her.

"Don't think I didn't see Madison in the Women's Room this morning. That must have been you." she laughs out loud.

"Oh really? What was she doing?" my eyes tease her.

"She had over twenty books spread around her! If you're going to pick out a book for me, I want it to be your absolute favorite. And I only want one."

I can't help all the titles that come through my mind, I have so many favorites. The horses start to run, and April gets ahead of me. I make Ice go faster and I catch up to her. She seems determined to make Fire go her top speed, and she veers off the trail on purpose.

"Fire!" I shout the horse's name, "FIRE, WOAH!" I try to get the horse to slow down. But April leans her head toward its ear and whispers something to it.

The horse neighs and gets on its hind legs, and to my surprise April doesn't fall off. The sun shines off her ponytail and she has a wicked grin on her face, as she stands the horse upright.

She's a natural, and I didn't even give her any advice, which I partially regret but not really. She doesn't need my help.

Fire and Ice are breathless, but they continue to walk side by side, as April and I head down the open field.

"How did you do that?" I almost yell. She shrugs.

"It doesn't like me hissing in its ear, apparently. That's what made it stand up."

"Don't do that April, it aggravates the horse like you wouldn't believe."

"Some tips would have been nice." she playfully growls. April nudges my shoulder.

"We should head back inside." I grumble, and we both turn our horses toward the door, which is still half a mile away.

The horses are tired, and as they trot back to the stables, I list to April all the books I've ever loved. Which takes a long time because there's too many.

"Which one should I read then? A book that would make me love books." she looks like she wants to go to sleep.

"The Giver, probably. It was the one I started with."

"How old were you?"  
>"Eight."<p>

"Eight?! I just read a play for that book last year!"

"Do you want to read a different one, then?"

"No… that was one of the plays I actually liked. So, okay. I'll try that one."

"Do you want to go to the library with me to get it, or should I drop it off in your room?"

She yawns.

"Just drop it off later, I'm gonna take a nap."

The horses stop in the stables and I help April get off hers. She walk back inside and she heads up toward her room, giving me a half hearted wave.

I'm stunned, truly. Any other girl here would have graciously gone with me to the library, desperate for extra time with me. But she just leaves me to go take a nap!

It makes me want to get her to be like the other girls.

I want her to be with me more. I want her to be desperate for more time, more dates.

It's almost as if she doesn't care. I love how she's making absolutely no effort with me, yet she is my favorite girl here.

It's infuriating.


	13. Chapter 13

**No one is safe.**

April

Julian dropped off The Giver for me at around four in the afternoon yesterday.

Now, we are halfway through breakfast and I'm almost done with it.

I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner! I can never sleep at night, so what better an idea than to read until the crack of dawn? Books will be become my new favorite thing. They kill time and there's so many of them that I'll always have something to keep me occupied. Madison is sitting next to me, reading a different book. I lean over toward her and whisper,

"Do you know where the library is? I need books." she turns to me and smiles.

"We can go there after breakfast if you want! I want more too."

"Okay. What book are you reading?" I nod to the one she's hiding under the table.

"Great Expectations. You?"

"The Giver."

"Ooh, I read that one. You like it so far?"

"I only have a few pages left, but it's fantastic."

As we walk toward the library, Madison tells me about all the books Julian recommended her, and I tell her about our horseback ride where he told me over a hundred titles.

"You went horseback riding with him? Lucky."

"You'll go on a good date with him, I'm sure."

"What's he like?" she asks, stars in her eyes.

_Intimidating. Sarcastic. Drool-worthy._

"He's very kind, and caring." _Ha._ "He has the cutest laugh." _Not, it's actually a little obnoxious._

I suppose I'm making him sound like Mr. Perfect, but I don't want to mess up the reputation he has on the other girls.

Madison is completely lovestruck as we enter the library, and I gawk at the countless number of shelves, holding countless numbers of books. BOOKS. Everywhere.

We start grabbing titles at random, Madison is lost in a princess fantasy. When we both have a fair number of books to carry, we leave the giant room and walk down the halls. We trail down them in silence, and nod to guards as we pass them. We get close to the stairs when Madison yelps as she trips on her dress and falls. Hard, on her face. Books fly around her and I drop mine when I jump in surprise.

Guards rush to us and begin to pick up books, they ask us both if we're alright, and Madison has to repeatedly say that she's fine, that her fall was just an accident and she's okay now.

There's an empty hall outstretched near the stairs, and I don't know where it goes to. No guards are posted on that hallway, and I wonder if maybe it's been forgotten. I feel a magnetic pull towards it and I start walking down it slowly.

Windows letting in light on one side, closed doors on the other side, art on the ceiling. After maybe twenty steps I look behind me and see that the guards and Madison have disappeared.

Weird. I didn't hear them leave. And all the books are gone too. My head turns to look down the hall again, and there's a black box mounted to the wall at the very end.

There's a couch beside me, and next to its arm is an end table with a mirror on it. But not just any mirror. It's my grandmother's old hand mirror that I brought here, but I don't remember placing it on this table or in this freaky hallway. I slowly pick it up and walk cautiously to the end of the hall, each step feels to last an eternity. I wonder why no one has come out yet, why hasn't anyone popped out of a closed door to tell me this is just a joke? Or tell me that I'm dreaming? Why am I merely ten feet from this lethal looking black box?

It has a circle lens in the middle, like a camera, and it stares at me. I watch it, my eyes grow wide as the lens goes from black to green. The lens opens up to reveal a green tunnel so small, but so long and the box makes an ear cracking noise that sounds like a metallic roar. I hold up the mirror to my face, the glass side faces the machine so I don't have to look at it.

The hall suddenly becomes a wind tunnel, and I grip onto the mirror as my hair flies around my face, my red dress billows all around me in a circle. I scream and the machine spits a green, icky, glowing ball of fire and light towards me. But the light bounces off the mirror in my shaking hands, and the death ball flies up into the ceiling. It crashes into the marble and sets an explosion above my head, debris flies down and makes dents in the floor, but none of it hits me.

Why the hell have I not woken up from this yet?! Is it real?! I blink once and the box disappears, but pieces of the ceiling still lay around me. In place of the box there is a number on the wall, it's red and it's glowing and I'm petrified I can't help but just stare at it.

Dumbfounded, I move closer to it, my lips part as I read the number.

26

That's how many girls there are left in the Selection.

I suddenly hear crashes and the same metallic roar, but it's coming from a different hallway. I hear a girl's ear piercing scream and everything stops. Time stops, noises stop, the world stops.

Because when I see the number go from 26… down to 25…

I know that the Selected girl is dead.


	14. Chapter 14

Julian

Leah Levan. Damn, she can even make drinking a cup of tea look sexy. I don't regret having my second official date with her, and she's obviously desperate for attention. Come to think of it, all the girls here are desperate in some way (of course with one exception).

I try to make myself look more at ease, but it's hard to be so relaxed around her. She already seems like a Queen, someone who gets whatever they want when they want it.

A very, very, sexy Queen. And a Queen isn't supposed to be sexy…

Most of the time.

"So you're a singer?" My voice is surprisingly very smooth, different from its usual roughness. Leah grins and sets the tea cup on the small table, she looks out at the castle commons before turning to me.

"I've been a singer as long as I can remember. It's my most favorite hobby."

"What other hobbies do you have?" I ask her.

"Dancing, going to after parties, swimming, facebook-"

"What about reading?" my face contorts as the word _facebook_ burns itself in my mind. Like I would ever have a facebook?! I'm the damn prince of Illea! _Facebook_. HA!

"_Reading_?! Oh please, I don't have time for books!" _Yeah? Well I don't have time for Facebook!_

This date isn't going as well as I'd hoped.

"It's just…" Leah tries to find words, "It's just that I find reading very boring. I much prefer pictures and captions, like Instagram! That's fun too. There are two girls here that are just head over heels for books now, can you believe it?! It's like they have nothing better to do."

"Which girls?" I raise one eyebrow, Leah senses that I don't care for reading either. God, if she knew.

"They're the two girls that I came here with, sadly. Madison the _Five_, and April aka girl-who-sleeps-like-every-other-minute-of-the-day. Did you see them at breakfast? The two are a couple of fangirls." She grins and expects me to make of them with her, but I can't help it. I smile. I'm so happy that April likes books now, it makes everything with her even better. And Madison too, I'll have my date with her tomorrow.

Leah's snapping her fingers, trying to get me out of the clouds. She's not amused. And god, I want to send her home so badly. But I can't. Her family is probably as rich as ours, and I wouldn't be surprised if the palace was fined for me having her sent home.

She's unfortunately inescapable. I wish I could spend the day with April, doing whatever the hell she's doing right now.

"Julian? Are you okay?" she's actually being genuine now that she sees I've lost interest for the moment. I smile at her as best I can and suggest we go on a swimming date in a few weeks. We both like swimming, maybe that's all we have in common. Leah beams and agrees as she takes another sip.

A guard comes bursting through onto the balcony, panting.

"Your majesty! I deeply apologize for interrupting, but one of the ladies is dead."

Leah drops her cup and it shatters on the table. My jaw drops, and it takes a second for me to compose myself. I immediately get up from my chair and quickly kiss Leah's hand before leaving. She looks shell shocked, but I can't worry about her right now.

Oh dear lord, which of my precious girls is dead? _Dead. Gone_.

We turn corners and end up at the end of a long hallway, it's empty. Except for the shredded up remains of what once was a pretty girl in a pretty dress. My heart breaks because I can't even tell who it is, there is no physical features left on this face.

"Who.." I croak. _Who could this be? How could this happen?_

I think back to what my father said.

_They're so ruthless, their King refuses to negotiate with us. They want no part in any alliance with us, son. What they want is something we cannot give them._

_They want the want to take over Illea…_

_And nothing is going to stop them_

Is this the horrid, grotesque work of New Asians that I have been dreading? Do they want to kill all my Selection girls to send us a warning? My stomach clenches.

This girl had a family, friends, people who cared about her, loved her. Her province must have been so proud of her when she left to go here.

And now she's dead.

"Who…" I say, louder this time.

"Either this is Miss Vallory, or this is Miss April."

It hits me like a severe punch to the gut.

_April_. No. No. This can't be April.

Guards get rid of the girl's carcass, maids begin to clean up the blood. There's a lot of blood.

"How do you know." I look him straight in the eye.

"Both girls were missing during the attack. We heard screams coming from this hallway and a different hallway, but we only found one corpse. They could both be dead and we just haven't found the other body yet."

I will be responsible for the death of this girl as long as I live. And to me, that is worse than dying. Or worse than being killed like this.

I start down the halls, we need to find out who this girl is before we say anything. I'm looking for two girls, I will only find one.

Both April and Vallory's rooms are empty. The library is empty. They're both not in the Women's Room, or in the dining hall. I don't know where Vallory could be, but I know where April would be.

Terror and anxiety run through me at the thought of losing April. Sadly, I barely knew Vallory. I don't remember our first conversation, I barely remember what she looks like.

I run out to the garden and see April on a bench with Madison and Jane. Relief floods through me and I walk up to them when Jane sees me.

They're all reading books, which is very good. They're all safe. Which is very good.

"Afternoon, ladies. How are you all?" I say politely. April tries not to laugh at me, she's not used to my formal side. But Jane and Madison are. They both get up and curtsy before sitting back down. April tries to smile at me and fails.

"Um, Julian? Can I talk to you for a second?" Jane and Madison stare at her in awe. But I nod and we walk over toward the trees, April crosses her arms and shivers. It's 72 degrees out.

"Do you know what happened, Julian?" she whispers, she won't look at me. I nod.

"I thought it was you, I was scared to death." I whisper.

"Who was it?"

"Vallory Danium." I choke on the name.

"Did you know her well?"

"No. I barely remember her, and it still hurts like hell."

"It wasn't your fault, Julian. Please tell me you're not blaming yourself for this."

"Should I end the Selection, April?"

She's silent for a minute, then looks away.

"That is not my decision to make." she grumbles.

"I don't know what to do." I croak. Then April does something I never thought she'd do in her life.

She hugs me, tightly. I don't hug her back, I just take comfort in the fact that she's holding me. I take comfort in the fact that she's not dead.

"April?" I tremble.

"Yes, Julian?"

"How do you know about what happened?"

It seems like an eternity passes before I hear her speak.

"I heard it from down the hall, and I went to go see…"

_Dear God._

_I don't know how much longer I can let this go on._


	15. Chapter 15

April

I wasn't going to tell anyone what I had experienced in the hallway, but the look on Julian's face made me spill. He deserves a girl that understands everything he's going through, and I want to be the one he'll always go to when he has a problem.

But I will never tell anyone what my grandmother's hand mirror can do, not even him. The information is too raw and I don't even know how it works.

I also don't know when or if I'll ever have that kind of confrontation again. Therefore I keep the mirror with me at all times, and I ignore the stares as I walk into dinner clutching it to my chest.

I cautiously sit down next to Jane, she stares at me with a questioning look.

"April? What's that?" she whispers. I show the bejewled mirror to her, her face lights up.

She takes it in her hands and runs her fingers along the jewel encrusted frame of the glass.

"Where did you find this? Did Julian give it to you?" she asks. I shake my head.

"It was my grandmother's. I brought it here… but do you think there's anything weird about it?"

Jane looks at me thoroughly confused, she quickly inspects it and hands it back to me.

"I don't see anything wrong with it. It's a very pretty mirror though." she smiles and I sigh in frustration.

"April, what's wrong? You're not acting like yourself.." she keeps talking but I've stopped listening. I look over towards the table where the royal family is seated, and I find that Julian is staring straight at me. And he's smiling. I raise one eyebrow at him and he mouths something to me. I'm confused until I realize what he's secretly saying to me.

_Nine o'clock, tonight._

Julian keeps looking at me, expectantly awaiting an answer. I smile at him, and I nod my head. He grins and winks at me and I roll my eyes.

When I get back to my bedroom, it's eight thirty and as usual, I'm not tired at all. It may sound strange, but I consider myself nocturnal. I don't sleep at night, for some reason I'm never able to. I take naps all day and stay awake in my bed all night. Or at least, I used to stay awake in bed all night. Now I read until day comes.

I read for a half hour, and there's a knock at the door.

"COME IN!" I shout. Julian quickly opens the door and closes it behind him.

"Well, that's a very ladylike greeting, my dear." he jokes. I put the book down and walk up to him.

"What do you want?" I ask him.

"Well, we've been here for over a week now, and I read in your medical records that you have Insomnia-"

"No, I'm _nocturnal_. Why is that a disease?" he looks at me to see if I'm kidding.

I sigh.

"Yeah, I have Insomnia. So what? What does that have anything to do with you coming to my room at night?" I glare at him, heat fills my cheeks.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go somewhere with me." he says.

"Where?" he grins.

"How would you like to be a brunette for a night, April?" he whispers.

"Depends." I murmur, "In what situation would I have to be a brunette?"

"I'm leaving the palace for a few hours, and I want you to come with me."

My eyes widen with anticipation as I stare up at him.

"Okay." I whisper.

An hour later, Julian and I are in the back of a palace van with Illea's emblem on the side. A guard is driving us somewhere I don't know, and Julian has his arm protectively around me. We're both dressed normally, Julian graciously let me wear my grey sweatshirt and jeans. He helped me dye my hair brown, and he did his too. It'll wash out in the morning.

He looks like how he did on the trolley, the day I met him before the Selection.

"Why me?" I ask after a few minutes of silence. He looks at me, and his eyes slightly glow in the dark. His arm around me tightens slightly. He waits a minute before telling me.

"I don't have a relationship with the other girls like I do with you, April. You're different, and that's a good thing. A great thing, actually. I get along the best with you and I love spending my time with you… and this date is perfect for us."

"Julian. You only have the best relationship with me because I'm one of the only girls you've spent time with." I roll my eyes.

"No, that's not it. I have been on six dates so far other than yours, and _you are my favorite_. Whether you like it or not, you are my favorite."

I can't stop myself from moving closer to him, his words seem to envelope with in a special kind of warmth that I don't want to escape. I rest my head on his shoulder and sigh.

The car stops and the guard driving lets us out. Julian nods to him slightly and says,

"We'll be back at 11:30." The guard nods and gets back in the car. He drives away, leaving us in a dark alley.

"Julian… why is he leaving?" I begin to shake.

"Oh relax. I've done this a thousand times. Remember when you found me on that trolley?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"He just leaves, and we get to do whatever we want."

"Anything?"

"Anything, except I will be choosing what we do."

"Well, what are we doing then?"

He starts to pull me down the alley and into the open street filled with lights and excited people. Julian's grinning and we start walking through large crowds, I hold onto him tightly.

The air around us is sweet, and giant, towering, multicolored lights climb above us.

They're amusement park rides, I realize.

We're in an amusement park.


	16. Chapter 16

Julian

April says she wants thrills, hell I am going to give her thrills. I love the look on her face right now, she's as giddy as a little kid on Christmas. She's practically jumping up and down and she looks so beautiful as a brunette, yet I miss her long red waves.

"An amusement park? Oh god, my parents always took me here as a kid! This exact one…" she starts laughing and looking up at all the pretty neon lights, we start waiting in a long line for a roller coaster.

"Wanna know something cool?" I ask her. She looks up at me, her warm smile unexpectedly makes my heart swell up.

"Yeah? What?" her voice is soft, it partially mixes in with all the noise and music around us.

I lean in and whisper to her,

"This was my first public works project. This whole park. Everything in here was a ride I set up and placed. It belongs to me, and I come here sometimes just to see how much fun people have. I love everything about this place. It's like my second home."

Her eyes widen and she stares at me in awe.

"How old were you?" she asks.

"Seven." I grin. April's jaw drops.

"Wait, _seven_?! You made all this when you were seven." she tries to keep her voice down.

"Yep."

"I could barely subtract 6 from 10 when I was seven!"

"Well, my dear, we do come from… two very different worlds. But maybe… maybe someday I could teach you how…." my voice trails off as she stares at me.

For a split second, I almost lean in. I almost go in to kiss her. I want to know. I want to know what she tastes like, what she feels like. I want her to not be afraid of heartbreak.

Because if she- if she could just put some trust in me. I would never send her home.

It's our turn to get on the roller coaster. I feel sick, but April wants to so badly, she wants to get her mind off our conversation. And I realize all I want now is to make her happy.

So we both get on, we get in the front car and we strap in. This roller coaster is the biggest in the country, it has multiple drops and loops and it's fast as hell. We both stare up at the tall, mounting lift that leads to a straight drop. It's over a thousand feet high. We slowly looks at eachother as it starts moving, there's fear in her eyes and uncontrollable anxiety. I try to smile but it looks weary to her and she shakily laughs.

We're at the top of the rail, I look over and see the cliff-like drop. The car begins to surge forward and April suddenly wraps her arms around me. She squeezes me tightly and begins to cry a blood curdling scream, as we fall down the rail. I almost throw up, but resort to screaming as loudly as her, my knuckles turn white as I grip the bar in front of us.

The rails turn different colors, I wonder if I'm having a seizure. I turn toward April, who's holding onto me for dear life. The cars turn upside down and fly all over the place, and suddenly April starts laughing. Not the soft, pretty laugh I'm used to getting from girls. This laugh is hysterically loud and is as screechy as the roller coaster on the rails.

And I love it.

Oh god I want to kiss her so bad but I know I shouldn't. One because I know she'd probably leave the Selection and two because I don't want to accidently throw up in her mouth.

The ride starts to slow down but that's because it's going up again. Oh dear lord.

"I'm so sorry I took you on this, April!" I cry.

"Are you fucking kidding?! I LOVE THIS!" she screams with me as it shoots down vertically. I realize that I was probably the craziest seven year old in the world for setting this thing up so long ago. Because when the ride is finally over and we're back to walking through the crowds… I let go of April and sprint to the nearest trash can.

And… well you know what happened next.


	17. Chapter 17

April

It's been 15 days since the Selection began. Since then, 19 girls have left. Nine of those girls left because they were sent home on day one, and ten left this morning out of fear.

Once all the girls found out about the mysterious death of Vallory Danium, they all freaked out. The overly dramatic girls left this morning after breakfast, and now there are only 16 girls left fighting for the crown. Except now, even some girls are too scared to really fight.

They want the crown, they have to survive these next few weeks. Or few months, however long Julian wants to keep up this Selection charade.

The air in the Womens Room is ominous, and it's one of the very rare days at the palace where it rains. Hard. Thunder cracks loudly and all the girls jump. Lightning flashes and it makes the news of Vallory's death all the more eerie.

Jane and I are still looking at the hand mirror, she doesn't know that it saved my life. No one can focus on anything, Jane is halfway through making Julian's suit, and she's pissed that she can't finish it. It's very easy to get distracted on a day like today.

"No one knows what it was?" Jane murmurs. She glances at me. I shrug.

I wish I could be with Julian, I miss him when he's gone. I don't know whether I like him or hate him.

He's on a date with Leah right now, I don't think I'll ever know how he stands her.

It also makes me jealous, and sadly I am not afraid to admit this. He told me I was his favorite, that I have a relationship with him like no other. And for a minute, when we were waiting to get on the roller coaster, I felt so special to him.

I wanted him to kiss me. For a split second, I had wanted him to kiss me.

There's just one problem. I'm scared. Because when he's off on a date with an extremely hot Two who's nearly as rich as him, I can't help but worry that I'm not good enough.

It's so stupid that I actually thought I could be worthy of someone like Julian. He deserves better than me.

I wordlessly head up to my room and take a five hour nap. It's still raining when I wake up. I yawn loudly and get to my feet, my hair is a mess. I throw open the doors of my balcony and watch the raindrops fall onto my hand and slide down my palm.

"You sure you wanna go out there? You may regret it." I turn around toward the voice. I smile widely when I see that it's Julian sitting in my armchair, he's rigid and has his hands in his lap.

I sigh and cross my arms.

"I thought you were still on your date with Leah." I grumble. Julian gets up from the chair and briskly paces across the room to me. I refuse to look at him even though I'm so happy he's here.

"Well, sweetheart, you have been asleep for a long time. Most of my dates don't last too long, if you haven't noticed." he looks out the open door at the rain, which is starting to come down a little lighter.

"So… what? Why are you here?" I still focus my gaze on the floor.

"I don't have enough time right now to go on a real date right now, in truth I just wanted to see you. But by your stance, I can sense that you do not desire my presence at the moment. I'll leave you to your nap." He starts to turn around and I look from the floor to the back of his head.

"Julian. Julian, wait. I'm sorry… please don't leave yet." he stops. Looks at me. I say to him

"I just… I'm sorry that so many girls left the palace, including Madison. I know you liked her."

Julian sighs and rubs his forehead gently. He sits back in the chair and I walk up to him. I put my hand on one of the arms and gaze down at him.

"I know, I did. But maybe this is good. It'll help narrow down the competition, maybe even save lives. I'm so selfish to continue this, but I will always let anyone go home that wants to. April," he looks up at me, fear in his eyes, "If you ever get scared, or think that going back to Hansport would be safer for you… by all means, I will let you go."

I stare down at him, I realize that he's worried about me. He doesn't want to have a replay of Vallory's death. No one does.

"But I don't want to go home." I say. Julian's eyes widen.

"Why? Is it because I haven't given you enough thrilling experiences? I'm sure you could do fun things with the money you're getting from being here. You don't necessarily need me to entertain you."

I take his hands in mine, and begin to pull him toward the open balcony door. Julian doesn't stop me, he walks with me and sticks his hand out in the misty air. I look away from him, I watch as the sun begins to peek through thick clouds. I love to see the sky when raindrops fall but the sun is still out. My voice sounds very distant to me.

"Maybe I don't need you to entertain me, Julian. But... I miss you when I'm not with you, and I know that there are lots of girls you need to attend to. I know I'm not the only girl here. But… I still feel… special. Maybe you're telling all the other girls they're your favorite, maybe not. But I still think we have something."

His lips part, he looks at me like I'm a fragile flower someone placed into his hands, and the breeze could easily blow me away. Julian pulls us into the rain, and droplets land in my hair and on my shoulders.

He leans in to whisper, "What are you trying to say?"

I place my hands on his shoulders, he puts his hands on my waist and pulls me to him. I'm against his chest and I can feel his beating heart. His nose touches mine, I can feel his breath which faintly reminds me of peppermint. Raindrops fall everywhere on us, and the sun glints off the tip of his golden crown.

"I can't leave, Julian. I need you… _what if- what if I'm not good enough?_"

He silently laughs before touching his lips to mine.

It's faint, and soft, and sweet. Kissing him is like biting into cotton candy, and I close my eyes hoping to savor this moment. It's perfect, this kiss. I want it to last longer, but he pulls away to look at me. I keep my lips parted and my eyes closed, I can tell he's looking into me. Heat creeps up my neck and fills my cheeks.

"Why would you ever think you're not good enough, sweetheart?"

I love it when he calls me that.

But there are many reasons, a Queen cannot spend all day napping. A Queen must have table manners and know how to properly address people. A Queen shouldn't keep secrets from people she cares about. A Queen shouldn't lie for her own benefit.

"I… I don't know. You with Leah… it makes me think she'd more worthy of a prince."

"And what if I wasn't a prince, April? If I were just choosing a wife and not a future Queen, Leah would have been gone the first day."

I'm so happy with his response that I kiss him again. He gladly kisses me back and grins against my lips.

"I'm very glad to hear that." I smile back at him and I see that the rain has stopped. The sun shines down on us and Julian keeps his arms around me. I rest my head on his shoulder, and I wonder…

I wonder if I just gave him my heart. I should have known that keeping it to myself wasn't going to be so easy. I should have not known that not falling for this boy would be completely impossible.

And I hate my heart for it, this is dangerous. I could lose him to another girl so easily, I could lose him to Leah… so quickly. Even though he told me he doesn't love her, I can't just ignore the fact that she's still here.

For now, I stay in what I think of as my haven. When I just focus on him, all the fear and worry disappears. Now, it's just me and him, and nothing in the world is better.

"Do you mind if I kiss you again?" Julian murmurs. I don't hesitate to crush his lips with my own, and he runs his tongue along my bottom lip. We just stand there kissing and holding eachother, and it feels like one of the happiest moments of my time here.

**PS- I ship Juliapril (is that a good shipping name or should I change it?)!**


	18. Chapter 18

**16 girls left. 16 left to destroy or send home.**

Julian

The girls are leaving fast, and honestly I'm glad about it. I don't want any other innocent girls to get killed by the ominous, lethal New Asian government. But, I don't see another reason why they're leaving. It must be something about me that's driving them away and I don't know what. I'm missing something crucial here.

"Julie! Julie! Julie!" My heart swells up as I register Gracie's happy little voice, and she jumps up into my arms and nearly knocks me over.

"Hey Gracie! What'cha doin?" I give her a piggy back down the hall and she giggles the whole way. Guards can't keep the smiles of their faces and I find myself wandering out to the castle commons. The sun shines brightly, I notice cameras following me and snapping pictures of me and Gracie. She smiles huge, as I walk down a long path I see something strange in the middle of the giant field.

Someone has the archery targets set up and is shooting arrows at them. It takes me a second for my eyes to adjust to the light, but when they do I see that the shooter is a girl in a blue flowy dress. And a grey sweatshirt. Her hair is pulled up into a messy red bun, and she's wearing _cowgirl boots_.

Damn, she is something else.

I carry Gracie over to her, and watch as she draws the bow and misses the target completely.

"Hey, sweetheart." I yell from behind her. She almost smacks me across the face with the bow. But when she notices it's just me, she playfully slaps my cheek and rolls her eyes.

I haven't seen April in over a week, since our kiss. My first kiss ever and obviously it was the best I've ever had. But, I've been so busy this past week that I haven't been able to see her during the day.

We've started spending more time together at night, because she doesn't sleep then. I feel awful when I lie in bed, knowing that she's having so much trouble every night with sleeping. So I visit her, and we read for an hour or so before I head up to bed. But that's not every night, I can't do it every night because I'm so damn tired sometimes!

April looks at me and says, "I haven't seen you in a while. Hey Grace, having fun with your brother?" she smiles at Gracie who nods her head really fast. I put her on the ground and April gives her a turn with the bow. Gracie sets it up and April whispers to me,

"You sure it's okay that she handles a weapon at her age?"

"Oh yeah, she's actually pretty good at it. Our dad taught us, he's been doing archery forever." She raises her eyebrows at that, and April's jaw drops when she witnesses little Gracie hit a bullseye.

April stares down at her, and surprises me when she mutters to her, "Lucky shot."

Gracie narrows her eyes and grins, enjoying the criticism. She hands April the large bow,

"I'd like to see you try it, _sweetheart_." she mimics the way I call April her nickname. I can't help but laugh, and it comes out really loud. Camera people rush over to capture the moment of me, Gracie and April.

April snatches the bow, playing with Gracie and they both start giggling.

"You gotta lotta sass for a princess, _your majesty_." They both look very smug, and April tugs the loose bun out of her hair. I stare at her as the long red waves flow around her. She catches me staring and winks at me, I blush and she pulls the arrow back on the bow.

She narrows her eyes and bites her lip. The tip of the arrow points toward the target, and April lets out a large slow breath, positioning herself.

"MISS!" Gracie yells, and it completely flips off April's concentration. She fires the arrow without thinking and Gracie bursts out laughing. The arrow flies up high, missing not only the target but also the trees.

Gracie's laughter disappears when the arrow April just shot hits a bird in the neck, and the lifeless thing falls to the ground a hundred feet away from us. Photographers lower their cameras and stare at us in shock. April's face is pale.

"Dammit." April mumbles. She runs to the bird and rips the now red covered arrow from its throat. Gracie screams and suddenly this is the funniest thing in the world to me.

April carries the arrow back to me and holds it up in front of my face. I bite my lip to keep from grinning, blood drips from the arrow and April looks so pissed off it's hilarious.

"I suppose we should add "bird murderer" to your list of special skills?" I barely choke out the words while trying to sound normal. She grins widely and closes her eyes.

"Might as well, I only have, like, three listed on it anyway. And one of them is sleeping in!"

That does it.

I double over, and unrestrainable roars of laughter come out of me. I laugh so hard I start to cry, and everyone but April stares at me in disbelief.

Because April is laughing too, she's rolling on the ground laughing. This whole situation is just so awful, and she's probably just scarred Gracie, poor little thing.

We eventually get completely drunk on hysterics, and we find ourselves pointing at the dead bird and cackling at it like witches. This one is a complete knee slapper, and we're driving ourselves insane.

The photographers leave with Gracie (who I'm guessing went to find mom), and April and I still can't calm ourselves. She picks up the bow, and my face hurts like hell from all of this.

"Shoot it- _shoot it again_!" I yell. She aims and fires, the arrow hits the dead bird in the gut. Oh god this- this is the best thing ever.

A few minutes later, guards take away the bird and the bow, April and I lay on the grass looking up at the cloudy overcast sky. The sun's disappeared and we both have finally stopped laughing. My chest moves up and down fast, April rests her head on my shoulder. I keep one arm laced under her neck and the other rests on her stomach. For a minute I focus on the sky, and try to find things in the clouds. I can tell that April's going to want a nap soon, and she seems a little tired. She yawns and I can't help but place a soft kiss on her cheek. She looks at me and we're suddenly nose to nose. I give her a small smile.

"I take you liked our little meltdown?" she asks.

I nod. "Thank you. I needed that."

"You've been stressed, haven't you Julian?" how does she read me so well?

"Does it show?" I ask her.

"Not really… but I know you too well."

"The girls are leaving so fast, and I try to spend my time with everyone individually… but I can't keep myself away from you. It's like you have a magnetic pull on me."

"I think I know why they're leaving." I raise my eyebrows.

"Please tell me, because I really don't know."

"Leah and I are your two main girls, so it makes sense that most of the others would leave."

I think about it for a minute. It's true, Leah and April are the two girls I've spent the most time with. But it's not that far in the competition yet, and the only other thing that's driving them away is Vallory's death. Maybe some girls think it isn't worth it to stay in the palace with a such a risk. I think April already has this thing in the bag. She might win.

Because I'm starting to see what a life without her by my side would be like. And it scares me to death, the thought of losing her.

Poor girl doesn't know how close I am to falling in love with her. I'm dangerously close.

"Will you kiss me again?" she whispers.

Our lips touch, and a sweet feeling flows through my entire body. Her lips are soft and taste like strawberry shortcake. The kiss doesn't last long, and she pulls away. I'm left wanting more of her, but I can tell it's hard for April. She doesn't want to go too far with the fear of losing me to Leah.

Ugh, like that would ever happen.

It seems so peaceful while we lie there, neither of us wants to get up.

"April?" I whisper. She doesn't answer, I turn to look at her and see she's asleep. She's breathing slowly and silently, she's such a peaceful sleeper. I try to let her get as much sleep as she can during the day, she needs it. I want to read to her again tonight, so I attempt to fall asleep too. It's surprisingly difficult, I don't know how she does it.

Just as I begin to close my eyes, I hear screams. Girls' screams, and they're coming from the Womens Room. April jolts awake and sits up.

"Jane." she whispers.

"April- WAIT-" I yell for her but she's already sprinting back into the palace. I run after her, but she's very fast and it's hard to keep up with her.

I spot her stumbling down one of the halls, tripping over her own feet while trying desperately to reach the door.

"JANE!" April screeches.

I turn onto a hall and look down it. Lady Jane is at the end of the hall, April is running to her. There's a black box at the end of the hall, it looks kind of like a camera. But… its lens is green and glowing, Jane seems transfixed by its colors. I can't stop myself from standing in the hallway like an idiot, staring at the green hole in the box. April ducks behind a couch, her helpless cries for Jane are useless. Suddenly I can't hear them anymore, the screams are blocked out by a metallic metal-on-metal screeching roar, and I cover my ears.

I watch in utter terror as the circle lens a giant, disgusting ball of green fire at Jane, and it tears straight through her. It rips her stomach from where it busted through, blood streams all around her it gets all over the floor and walls.

The black box disappears and a red number appears on the walls. I don't know what it means.

19

Obviously Jane Edwards is now dead. April runs up to me and I shove her behind me, I try to shield her body with my own, but it seems the danger has left. For now.

"Do you know what the number means?" I rasp.

April grips my shoulders and begins to pull us backward, away from the hall.

"The number of Selected that are still here and _alive_." she chokes on the last word.

The glowing red number drops from 16… to 15, and it all makes sense.

I tighten my grip on April's wrist and we run away from the scene, to anywhere but right here.


	19. Chapter 19

April

_Jane_. Why did it have to be Jane? And turns out it wasn't just her. Two other girls that were in the Womens Room were killed yesterday along with her. That makes 13 girls left here…

Well actually 7 girls… 6 left this morning out of fear. The girls left are Leah Levan, the girl with the green eyes Gabrielle Evans who's a Four, and a few other brave girls that love Julian. And of course there's me… but I don't know if Jane's death is going to send me home soon. I'm tempted for the safety of my own home, but I leave the palace I may never see Julian again. That is not something I am mentally prepared for right now.

He wasn't at breakfast, or lunch. I napped until it was time for dinner. He and Leah were both absent for dinner, they were on a date. Even though Julian's told me himself that he doesn't like her, knowing that he sees her makes me a little scared. This was exactly the kind of thing I worried about when I first came here. Of course he'd want to go with Leah, she's much better looking than me, and she's rich so she has good family ties.

I don't have either of those things. Sadly.

I sit next to Gabrielle after dinner, she's watching TV. She looks at me when I sit down.

"Hey." she mumbles.

"Why are you still here?" I ask her. She raises one eyebrow at me.

"I could ask you the same question. Why are you still here?"

"Because I can't leave Julian."

"Really? That's why?! You know I haven't gone on a single date with him? I'm the only girl he hasn't been with yet." she laughs.

"Then why would you want to stay here?" I ask her.

"Well… I obviously know I'm not gonna win, but I really don't care anymore. As long as he doesn't let me go, I'm just gonna enjoy the food and the pretty dresses while I can."

"It's not worth it. Too dangerous here." I say.

"Well, I'm fine. I won't die while I'm here."

"What makes you think that?" I stare at her.

"Look into my eyes, April. Tell me what color they are."

Her eyes are green and glowing, like the awful camera lens.

Wait.

"Oh god." I whisper.

"See, I've witnessed this camera thing that's trying to kill us all. It's the exact same color as my eyes. What I do when I see it, is I simply stare into it. It gets… it gets scared of me… and the lens just disappears. It goes to kill someone else, because I think when I look into it… I'm challenging the machine, like I'm daring it to blast a ball of fire at my face."

Gabrielle grins wickedly, and I can't help but just stare at her in awe.

"What do you do when you see it, April? How do you protect yourself?" she asks.

"I… I haven't seen it." I lie, but Gabrielle can see straight through me.

"Oh please! Like I believe your BS lies! Tell me. It's fine." she glares at me, demanding an answer.

I tell her about my encounter, and how I used the mirror to shield myself.

"I think I know how that works." she whispers, eyes wide.

"How?" I ask her.

"Let me see the mirror." I hand it to her.

"So, the machine spits a ball of light, and it comes flying at you. What I think happened was that… you know how light bounces off windows and glass and mirrors? That was it. The ball of fire and light just reflected off your mirror, and sent it flying in a new direction. That was why it hit the ceiling and the pieces fell down around you."

My jaw drops.

"Gabby… Gabby you're a genius." she snickers.

"Doesn't take a genius to figure that out. But it's a good idea! You really should have said it sooner, would have made this contest last longer. I have a feeling this'll end soon. The winner's gonna be you or Leah, and I'm pretty damn sure it's gonna be you. So it's best you stay here and keep the mirror close. I think I will too, just in case."

"Good idea." I murmur.

Gabby yawns. "I'm heading up to my room. You should too."

"Yeah… I guess so." Though I'm not tired, I head back up to my room carrying my hand mirror. Gabby waves goodnight to me, and once I'm in my room I sit down in my armchair and stare at the mirror.

The awful reality of Jane's death crushes me. It hurts me so much that I don't even cry. My maids come into the room and talk to me for a while, they're a little comforting.

"Do you need anything else, April?" Claire asks me.

Suddenly, I get the best idea. I love the violin, and the new information I just learned about light reflecting off glass mixes in with my love for the instrument. I need to protect myself, and I wonder… what if by playing a note on the violin, a ball of light could reflect off the instrument? What if I could save people by playing a song?

I pick up my violin off the floor and hand it to Claire. She gives me a questioning look.

"I want this violin and bow turned into glass." I say.

"Glass?"

"Yes. I would like a glass violin… for decoration?" my lies are getting worse, but my maids believe me. They wish me good dreams and leave with the violin. I sit back in my armchair, thinking about all the things I could do with it, how amazing it's going to be.

I hear giggling coming from down the hall and stumbling. I also hear what sounds faintly of kissing. The door to my room bursts open and two figures tangled up in eachother come into my room and fall onto my bed.

So many feelings rush through me as I realize the two figures are Julian and Leah.

"Are you sure this is your room?" Julian groans as Leah kisses him. Hard.

"Positive. Now let me get that bulky suit coat off your pretty shoulders." she mumbles into his ear and he grins like an idiot. I can't take my eyes away as Leah climbs on top of him and sticks her tongue in his mouth, I nearly throw up right there. I watch them make out on my bed for maybe ten seconds before I find my voice.

"HEY!" I growl. They both abruptly stop to look at me. Julian registers the voice as me, and horror strikes his face. His eyes widen and his mouth is moving but he's not saying anything. He can't even find words to explain, but I don't need any explanation.

"I don't think this is your room, Leah." my voice is deadly calm. She sighs loudly.

"Come on Honey-Cakes, wrong room," she pulls Julian to his feet. "Sorry April, won't happen again!" my hands are clenched into tight fists, my chest is rising and falling fast. I'm positive my face is beet red and I feel a tear stream down my cheek. Dammit.

Julian is stunned, and horrified, like this is just a nightmare and he's trying to wake up but he can't. Doesn't know how, I wish this was a nightmare too.

"Yeah, _Honey-Cakes_, why don't you just go have sex in Leah's room?" I hiss. Julian puts his hands in his hair and shakes his head violently.

"NO. No no no no April please this isn't what it looks like! Just let me explain-"

"I knew this was going to happen at some point. I should have been expecting it, what with all my stupid fears. But it still hurts. A lot. I think you should just go." I dare to look him in the eye, and I wish I hadn't. He face looks like how I feel inside. He's gone mad, he's staring at me like he can't believe this is happening. He looks completely anguished, he looks heartbroken.

But I don't want to console him.

"April. April please-" he's breathing fast and hard, he's panting, he's desperate.

"Just go, Julian. I can't even look at you anymore right now. Go away-"

"I- I- I can explain every-"

"GO. AWAY. NOW." I point towards the door and look at the floor. Leah drags him out of the room and they both go out into the hall. I stomp to the door and slam it shut. The sound of it is so loud it's staggering, and I collapse on the floor.

The tears come fast, and loud sobs break from my body.


	20. Chapter 20

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed or favorite my story! You guys are awesome! Sorry if this one's a little short the next one will be longer.**

Julian

Why... why is this happening to me? I can't even describe what I'm feeling right now in words. Everything is wrong and I'm not surprised if April hates me now. I deserve whatever I'll be getting from her. But I can't let her leave, I don't have it in me to send her home. She has to stay, I need her. I think I even love her. But I can't tell her that after what just happened yesterday, she'd freak out.

"Hey, Julian? Are you in there?" I register Leah's voice as she knocks on my bedroom door. How the hell did she even find me?!

"Come in." I call. She cautiously comes into my room and shuts the door behind her. I get up from my desk and my hands clench into fists as I walk over to her.

Last night on our date... I had to leave for a minute to talk about the... _dead_... Selection girls with province officials. But while I was gone I'm guessing Leah drank all our champagne, and then some. She was completely drunk when I got back. But I'm not sure it was just too much champagne in her system... it was something else.

She was suddenly a lot stronger than me, and she had an advantage. She was dragging me down the halls and I was completely helpless, subjected to whatever she was going to do me.

It was something in her eyes that terrified me, it was almost as if she wasn't even human. And it's still scaring me now to be honest.

"Julian, I swear to god last night… I was not myself. I didn't even know what was happening to me. Please don't send me home." Leah's pleading voice seems so innocent, but I can tell she's a complete fake. Honey-Cakes. She never called me Honey-Cakes ever! What the hell?! I cross my arms and stare at her. Leah flinches.

"You hurt her. Whether it was you or not… you hurt her. And I don't think I will ever forgive you. Go home, Leah. I have no reason to let you stay here any longer."

Leah doesn't cry, but her eyes turn blood red. She growls at me. Not so pretty anymore.

"You're going to regret your decision, _Prince_. It's not the best idea for you to send me home. I would rethink what you just said if I were you." Her voice has a deadly calm to it, and I'm super creeped out by her. The corner of my mouth twists in disgust.

This probably goes against anything about proper etiquette that my tutor has ever taught me. I didn't expect to have send people home by force, but I will if need be. I grin at her.

"Would you like me to have some guards escort you out, _Lovie_?" I say. It's not a question, it's an order. And she knows it. Leah starts backing toward the door, not taking her eyes off me.

"You know I'll just find someone with more power than you, right? I don't need you. I'll just find another world leader. I mean come on! I'm fucking irresistible! Look at me! Tell me I'm pretty Julian, and maybe we can part as lost lovers." her teeth grow into fangs.

"Get the hell out of my palace." I growl.

She laughs, and disappears in front of me. Jesus.

April wasn't at breakfast.

Or lunch.

Or dinner.

It's like she's disappeared. She's not in her room at night, she's not in the Womens Room, she's not in the garden. I spent a few hours looking for her, but it's hopeless. She's not going to be found unless she wants to. If she could just hear me out, or know that Leah isn't here anymore… maybe she wouldn't be completely gone. All I know now is that she's still in the palace, and can't leave without my permission. I have to know if she's going home, it's practically the law.

I eat nothing the next morning at breakfast, but I do take an espresso. I don't drink it, I only stare at it. I have to find her. She could be anywhere.

"Julian. What's wrong?" my mother asks as she sits next to me. Everyone else has left the dining hall. I look at her and twirl the mug in my hands. She puts her hand on my shoulder.

"Hey mom." I croak. She looks at the full cup in my hands.

"What happened. You can tell me." I have her eyes. But they're just a little lighter than mine. Like ice. I sigh.

"April's avoiding me. It's nothing. I'll be fine. Don't you have work, mom?"

"Please, when do we not have work? April's going to be our next princess, isn't she?"

God. If only…

"I don't know, mom. I… love her. I really do. But- but I don't think she wants any of this."

My mother looks out the window, contemplating. The sun's getting higher. She gets up from the table and pushes her chair in. Her face gets pale.

"Mom… are you alright-"

"I know you'll do what's right, sweetheart. You're very smart, and kind and loving. You are a true gentleman. Keep the remaining girls out of trouble, okay? They're- they're- they're no longer safe here."

She runs out of the dining hall in her clicky heels. What was that about?

Six girls left, including April. I can't help but think of the deadly cameras, and how Leah turned into a possessed demon girl overnight. Somehow, the two must be connected. I need to send home as many girls as I can while I'm still able to save their lives.

None of these girls are right for me, and if April leaves… god is she leaves I won't be able to do any of this. I just need to hear her voice again.


	21. Chapter 21

**Special thanks to Ana for all the super great reviews! Next chapter will hopefully be up by tomorrow morning if not sooner.**

April

I've been in hiding for the past week.

I've also been taking all my meals in my room, and finding a bunch of nooks and crannies in the castle. I find hidden staircases and watch people go about their days. I watch guards make rounds, I watch the royal family eat breakfast, I watch camera people and see them run around the palace. It's actually quite relaxing, sitting on high ledges and looking down on tiny people. I find peace in it. Because the palace is anything but peaceful right now.

I've seen girl after girl leave in tears, but I didn't see Leah go. She must still be here, and if she is… then maybe Julian has already made his decision. Maybe I don't even need to be here anymore. My eyes go to the front double doors of the palace, and I imagine opening them and walking out into the bright day. I wonder if Julian would give a damn if I just left without telling anyone. Staying up here isn't going to make my chances with him any greater.

My chances with him kind of suck right now.

I head downstairs and walk down a random hallway.

He lied to me. He told me I was his favorite! He told me that Leah meant nothing to him! Ugh. I can't believe I ever thought my fears were stupid, I can't believe myself. Was there really a point in time where I thought I would be Julian's princess? Fantasies. All just damn fantasies!

I kick an end table hard and stub my toe, I nearly scream. I sit on the floor and hug my foot to my chest like a crazy person. Suddenly Gabrielle is towering over me, she smirks.

"Well well, if it isn't future Mrs. Schreave! You'll have to be a lot stronger than that to be Queen, darling."

I scowl at her.

"I'm not going to be Queen." I mumble.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she bends down and I see she's holding a suitcase. I narrow my eyes at her.

"Is this some kind of sick joke, Gabby?"

"Why the bloody hell do you keep calling me that?!"

"Why did you call me darling, _Gabby_?" I counter, she sighs.

"Because I'm the last girl to leave, April. He hasn't sent you home, you're now the only girl left here. Now, _hm_, what do you think that could mean?" She rubs her chin and raises one eyebrow. I just stare at her.

"I don't believe you." I grumble.

"You saw all the other girls leave! Why am I any different?" she smiles.

"It's just… he's ending it all so fast…"

"Fast?! Honestly, I think this thing lasted a lot longer than it should have. He looked at you and _bam_, we were all toast. He only made it last longer so he could have more dates with you-"

"Rendezvous." I mumble.

Gabby stares at me. "What?" she gets on her knees and pushes herself to her feet. I get up with her even though my toe hurts. We start walking toward the door.

"We called it a rendezvous, but the name didn't last long…"

"Oh… You know what's crazy?" she looks at me. I put my hand on the front door.

"What's crazy?"

Gabby leans in to whisper to me.

"Everyone in Illea seems to have figured out that Julian is in love with you. Why can't you just piece everything together? Go to him. He needs you... Illea needs you."

She opens the door and leaves before I have a chance to respond. I close it behind her and walk to the library, trying to focus on something. Anything.

That's when Michelle comes up to me in the hall holding a glass violin in her hands.

"Wow. Michelle… it's perfect. It's everything I wanted it to be. Put it up in my room for now, please."

She nods and heads up the stairs to my room. I head into the library and spot a tall ladder in the back of the room. Steadying myself, I climb up the shaky bars and sit on a windowsill. The window is giant, and I press my hand to the glass to feel the warmness of the outside from indoors. It feels nice, so I rest my head on it and close my eyes.

Julian. I don't know what to think of him. This boy that I find myself beginning to love, yet I'm also drawn away. It's not him, it's me. And I'm a totally sucky friend. He's been so kind to me lately, like a gentleman. But he still has his sarcastic side that I adore. He's never wanted to hurt me, or neglect me. Julian always wanted my opinion on things before he did them, he wanted to teach me about his life. He gave me so many things; books, free coffee, true friendship, his time, his problems, his amusement park, his horse.

His love.

I haven't even spoken to him in the past week. Oh my god I'm an awful person! He doesn't deserve to be ignored. But I don't know where Leah is, I don't know if he's with her right now. The thought makes me want to throw up what little breakfast I ate.

Not to mention I haven't slept in days. I can practically feel the weight of the bags under my eyes. There's something I need, there's a remedy for my insomnia and I don't know what it is. I'm a complete mess right now.

Out the enormous window, I get a good view of the garden. And the never ending forest beyond the palace grounds. I find myself staring at the trees in the distance blankly, my mind not focusing on anything at all.

Then a polished crown appears just below the edge of the windowsill. My eyes widen as I spot Julian climbing up the ladder and sitting across from me. He tries his best to smile, but I can see the pain on his face, poorly hidden.

"I need you to listen to me." he says. He blocks the ladder, leaving us both on the high ledge with no escape. I don't let myself look at him.

"April. Please. I'm begging you. Please look at me."

I don't answer, and continue to look out the window. I cross my arms.


	22. Chapter 22

**Okay this chapter came quicker than I thought it would but hope you like it!**

Julian

When I saw April sitting on the high up windowsill in the library, I thought I was dreaming. It was too good to be true.

Until I realized she didn't plan on talking to me.

I sit across from her, trying to get her attention. I've missed her so much, but I think I was right when I was thinking that she hates my guts now.

Poor girl doesn't know she's the only one left.

"I sent Leah home." I tell her. She raises her eyebrows but says nothing. Doesn't even look at me.

"What you saw… it wasn't real. I told you that I didn't even like her, and dammit I meant it. She got too drunk and she got too strong, did you see how she was dragging me everywhere? It was like she was as strong as a couple palace guards. I didn't want her, and she's gone now. She's never coming back. All the other girls are gone. I sent them home too."

April sighs and drops her arms, she turns her head toward me with her eyes shut.

She slowly opens her eyes and looks at me. I'm hypnotised by the violet circling in them, and she looks so beautiful with the sun on her I wonder if she's even human. It's killing me slowly that she has no response to everything I just said. At least she's looking at me.

"April? April say something. Anything. I haven't seen you in what feels like forever, and I just want you to tell me you don't hate me. I hate that you had to be the person to see… I hate that it happened. Leah… she isn't human anymore. Something… something happened to her. She's dangerous. Lethal. It's hard to explain, her eyes got red… she grew fangs-"

I gasp as the ladder tips backward and falls to the floor with a crack. It was old and unsturdy, the whole damn ladder falls apart of its way down. I stare at her as she looks from me to the ladder and back. She looks completely spooked.

"How the hell did…" she whispers. She crawls over to me and sits on my lap. My breath catches and I hold her back to keep her from plummeting to the floor.

"What are you doing?" I ask her. She looks down at the ladder and bites her lip.

"Julian." she says. My eyes widen as I hear her say my name.

"April-"

"Don't freak out, okay? But… I think I can move the ladder back up to us." she whispers.

"How?"

"I don't know. I was just looking at it, and it fell over."

"That could have been just a coincidence."

"No. I- I felt my mind… pushing it." she croaks.

I watch her face as she stares at the broken ladder. Her eyes become completely purple, she starts breathing a little fast and I hold her as best I can closer to the window. And slowly, the ladder puts itself back together and rises back to where it was before, as if nothing happened.

My jaw drops as her eyes return to normal, and she relaxes. April inches away from me, and the feeling of not touching her is agony. She seems so out of reach.

Strange how something can be out of a One's reach, so atypical that even though I have everything and more… without her I feel I have nothing.

"I don't even know how I did that. How the hell did I just do that?! I've never done that before in my life! Oh god, what is happening to me?!" April scrambles down the ladder and I follow her into the halls. She has her hands in her hair and she begins to pace.

"April- April it's fine. We can figure this out-"

"Oh Julian- dammit I'm such a bitch! I should have listened to you that night, I shouldn't have ignored you, I'm just so scared. Why didn't you send me home with everyone else?! Why would you even want me here after what I've done to you? You deserve _better than me_-"

That's it.

"STOP. Jesus April! Just stop with all the low self esteem! Why do you always say that?! Why do you think you're not good enough for me?! You know why I sent everyone home? Do you want to know why you're the only girl left here? It's because _I love you_. I love you and I want you to stay here forever and be my princess. You're- you're _always_ telling me how you're scared to death of heartbreak. Of all the things in the world you could be afraid of, you pick being heartbroken. You know- you know you never had to worry about that! I may as well had fell in love with you the moment you sat next to me on that trolley."

April gapes at me, tears in her eyes. I force myself to keep my arms at my sides.

"I'm sick of you telling me you can't be Queen. Because you can. And you would be the best Queen Illea has ever had, and hell I am not just saying that. I truly mean it. And I- I- _I can't live without you, April Schreave-_"

I abruptly stop as I realize what just came out of my mouth.

And she does the worst thing she could possibly do to me, after all I just said.

April turns around and runs away as fast as her feet will carry her.

And I don't follow her.


	23. Chapter 23

April

Too much.

That's all I can say, or even think right now.

Too much.

I may not know exactly where I'm going, but I do know who I'm looking for. A guard spots me running and tells me to slow down, I sigh and walk outside.

How the bloody hell did I just fix a broken ladder without even fuckin touching it?! Was it telekinesis?

Or was it something else?

I walk up to a tree and try to do whatever it was I just did in the library. I stare at the thickest part of the trunk and ball my hands into fists. There's a light breeze that blows my pink dress, I keep my eyes focused on the tree. I don't even know what to expect from this, I must look so stupid standing here.

I used to communicate with him so well, now I just run away whenever he tries to tell me something important? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. Ugh, I must have hurt him so badly.

The tree I'm staring at explodes, and I'm blown backward into the air. I hear myself scream and I land hard on my side. Oh dear lord that was me. _I just did that_. Holy crap. I was so mad at myself that the tree just exploded.

That's actually pretty awesome, not gonna lie.

Avoiding him for the moment at all costs, I walk around the garden and pretend the tree explosion didn't happen. Hopefully the guards didn't see me run over here.

"April? April!" I hear Julian's voice in the distance. I think he heard my scream, shit. At least he can't see me. I hope.

Queen America spots me lying in the grass, she has a guard on either side of her. I prop myself on my elbows and try to smile. It doesn't turn out great. America helps me up and smiles brightly.

"Hello, April." she beams.

"Can I ask you something, America?" the guards' eyes widen as they notice I didn't curtsy or address her as "your majesty", but bowing isn't really my thing, whether I'm the last girl or not.

"Oh course."

I bite my lip before asking.

"When you were in the Selection… did you ever have your doubts about Maxon? Did you ever think that being princess wasn't something you thought you could do?"

She stares at me for three seconds.

Then she starts laughing, she actually doubles over and starts laughing really hard. She comes up after a minute and puts a soft hand on my shoulder.

"Oh, darling, that practically describes my Selection!" we start walking and I can't help but grin. I'm so happy to know that I'm not the only one.

"My whole Selection… was all flip flop. One day I'd feel in love and the next I'd want to just go home and crawl into bed. I didn't realize that I loved Maxon until the very end... What are you having trouble with, April? I can help you with anything you need or want."

I look at her and smile. Oh she is so sweet and understanding.

"I don't know how to do any of this, America. I barely know what being royalty means."

"Well what do you think it means?" she asks.

I think back to what he said a long time ago… the day we met.

_You don't just deal with it, April. It's a passion, a responsibility like no other! You don't just leave it as a- a side or a setback from living in a palace._

"I'm not sure… but I know there's a ton of paperwork and you have to get other Kings and Queens to like you. Plan parties, organize a whole army, make good speeches, try to change the country for the better! I don't even know how to start."

Thankfully, we're back inside before he sees me. America leads me into the Womens Room, and the guards reluctantly stay outside the door. I follow her to a couch in the back of the room, and we sit facing a large painting on the wall.

"How? How do you do it?" I ask her.

She takes off her crown and rubs her thumb on the gems.

"I never got to know what it's like to be princess, but after twenty years of being Queen, the job is not as hard as it sounds. You can get through the work easily as long as you're persistent. See, the King is the one who does more of the work, the Queen just has to approve of it. My job is to set up all the gatherings. And it's actually pretty fun, you get to decorate the grand hall and prepare a menu, putting it all together isn't hard. Things are just color coordinated. But you don't have to worry, because I'm going to help you with all of it until you get the hang of it, okay?"

"Really? You'll help me?" my voice is so small.

"Of course, darling. Trust me, it won't be unmanageable. And it's all worth it, right? You'll have him by your side too." she says sweetly. I try to take the conversation off him.

"But then why do they always tell us it's not an easy task?" I ask.

"Oh they just want you to work harder. Trust me, April, if you stay here, I will help you every step of the way. Don't worry about that, it's not good for you."

"Okay, mom." I whisper, then put a hand over my mouth.

America laughs softly, and wraps me in a warm hug.

"Mom is fine with me." she says.

Later, I'm looking at my new glass violin in my room. I start to run the bow along the strings, and the sound is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. I'm not even playing a piece I know, I'm just testing it out. God, the symphonies I could play on this thing. As long as I don't drop it; this glass seems extra fragile.

The door to my bedroom cracks open and my heart stops for a second. It returns to normal when I see that the person is little Gracie, wearing her poofy purple dress and ballet slippers. She beams at me and stares at my violin.

"You play beautifully." she squeaks.

"Thank you." I say.

"Will you help me with something?" she asks.

"Of course, what is it?"

"Come on! Follow me!"

She races down the hall and I bring my violin with me, I follow her up to her room.

Holy pink.

Gracie hops onto her bed and brings me two stuffed animals, I set the violin on a small table and get down on one knee to look into her eyes. She holds them up, one's an elephant and one's a tiger.

"Mr. Gibbons told fluffy that he loves her, but Fluffy doesn't love him back." she looks so sad. Oh crap, Julian must have told her. Or maybe she coaxed it out him somehow. I'll admit she knows how to get a point across. Unlike me.

I sit on the floor and sigh, I put my head in my hands. Gracie sits in my lap and strokes my hair. I look at her.

"It's not that I don't love him back, Gracie…." I trail off, the color of his eyes fill my mind.

"It would be so perfect though, it gets lonely sometimes… when Julie and mommy and daddy are working. I want a sister that can play with me and not leave after a couple minutes."

I knew my heart would break at some point, but I didn't expect it to break like this.

"Why don't you love him? He's not mean to you, is he?"

"Oh- oh no Gracie not at all! He's the kindest, sweetest, most wonderful man I know."

"And he talks about you all the time!" she's getting excited.

"I missed him so much."

"He was miserable without you!"

"He's given me everything."

"He's already picked out a ring! I saw it!" she squeals.

"Wait really?" she takes me hands and starts jumping up and down.

"Uh-huh! It's so pretty!"

"Oh Gracie!" I stand up and grab my violin off the table. She starts laughing and jumping on the bed. She already knows what I'm going to do.

I run out of Gracie's bedroom, down the hallways and passing guards. I barely notice them as I start calling for Julian. Oh god I have so many things I need to tell him!

I need to tell him I love him.


	24. Chapter 24

Julian

There is a gaping, charred hole in the ground where a tree once was. This isn't right. I have a guard on either side of me, they've been on high alert lately. I need to talk to my father to sort a few things out. I've been so focused on April that I haven't been able to do my job.

And that is a major problem, because my job is not to be neglected. Ever.

I walk into my dad's office to see his elbows on the table, his sleeves rolled up and his head in his hands. I cautiously make my way to his desk. He looks up at me with pain clear in his eyes.

"Hello, Julian." he rasps.

"You need to tell me what's going on, dad. You can't hide this from me anymore."

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. I wait for him to speak.

"Please." I put my hands on his desk.

"Have you seen the black boxes, the green balls of light?" he asks.

"Yes. Do you know what's behind it all?"

"New Asians. They set up the cameras… their technology is more… advanced than ours."

"But why them? Why would they do this to us? We've done nothing!"

He gets up from his desk and starts pacing around his study, I watch him.

"The past couple decades… New Asia hasn't been doing too well. Wars with other kingdoms, economic declines, spending too much money on armies and not taking proper care of their citizens. It's left their country a mess, and their land is crumbling. They need a new home. Do you remember when I told you that our alliance with them wasn't working out? That they wanted the palace?"

"I do remember you saying that…. but is that all they want from us?" my hands start to shake.

He shakes his head slowly, and suddenly he's angry.

"King Qin Huang, their emperor, wants to… take over Illea. He doesn't want you and I ruling the country. He needs new land, and the land he wants is ours."

"So- so that means he can't take it- it belongs to us."

"But he is more powerful than us, his empire has been existing longer than ours. He could just walk in and kill all of us, or send us running. His undercover soldiers have broken in and set these things up. They could be around us as we speak."

"But we're not leaving, dad. This is our land, and they have no right-"

"They don't need a right to do this. Yes, it is illegal and wrong, but they don't give two shits how many people they kill! They'll kill Selection girls, they'll kill us. They'll massacre Illea if no one stops him!"

He falls into his chair and growls gibberish. He slams his fist on the table, unshed tears in his eyes.

"I don't want to lose my family, because some man says that he can. It's not safe anymore…. And son, I am sorry your Selection was such a disaster. We should have been more careful."

I put a hand on his shoulder.

"Dad… it's alright. I sent all the other girls home, nothing is going to happen to them-"

"What do you mean _all the other girls_? Julian, who else is here?" he's scared now.

"I'm in love with April, dad. I didn't send her home because she's my pick. The Selection wasn't a complete fail, I found someone I love, just like you did."

"Oh no. Oh god. Wait- where is she?" he almost yells.

"I.. I don't know. Why?" my voice trembles.

"Qin Huang will do anything to chase us out of here. That's why he was killing the Selection girls, he was sending us a warning. If she's still here… and if you have claimed to love her then…"

"Then what? _DAD THEN WHAT?!_"

"Then all the deadly weapons he's brought will target _her_. She's the only girl left, son. She's probably already dead- you have to find her. NOW-"

I sprint out of the room and frantically run down the halls.

"APRIL! APRIL!" I scream. OH NO NO NO SHE CAN'T DIE! Whether she loves me or not I can't let her die.

"Julian? Julian what's wrong?" she comes around a corner and I stumble towards her. Right then, she's only a hundred feet away, and I hear a metallic roar come from down the hall. April looks toward the sound and clutches a glass violin in her hands. She runs towards it.

"APRIL, NO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

She throws her arm back and the machine spits a green ball of fire at her. She screams and throws her arm forward, the violin hits the ball of light and fire.

The violin shatters on impact into a million pieces, but the ball bounces off it and hits the black box. It explodes and knocks us both to the ground. I quickly get back up and run to her.

"Dammit, I lost my only shield! I didn't know it would break so easily-"

"April- April we have to find a safe room- you can't stay out here by yourself." I pant. I haul her up and we start running down the hall, trying to find something- anything that can shelter us. Two more black boxes appear and they screech as the lenses turn bright green. I throw April to the floor and land on top of her, the ball of fire flies just over my head and misses us.

"What about right there?" she points to a trapdoor that has a small handle. I crawl over to it and throw it open, there's a ladder going down into darkness.

"Alright you get in first, I'll come in after you." A roaring noise fills the air. She climbs down the ladder and I close the hatch just as I catch a glimpse of a ball of fire flying straight towards me.

**Next chapter I'm guessing is going to be my favorite which I will most likely have up before tomorrow!**


	25. Chapter 25

April

I looked down and saw the dark hole that the ladder lead to. I didn't want to go in there, especially while the sun was still shining. But I heard the metallic roar that would signal my death, and fear was what made me climb down the ladder into the dark. It was hard to climb down in clicky heels, and it was fifty feet underground. My feet touch the cement floor and I move away from the ladder as Julian lands on the ground next to me.

"You okay?" his voice echoes.

"Yeah. Fine… do you know where we are? Have you been down here before?" I tremble.

"Nope. Never. But I bet there's a light somewhere…" he bends down and tries to find a switch or a flashlight, anything we could use.

"Ah! Here we go." a faded light fills the space and he has a small flashlight in his hand. Julian moves the flashlight around and I get a sense of where we are.

We're in a narrow, long hallway and there's a metal door in the distance. The hallway begins at the ladder and ends at the door. It's dusty, and I can tell no one's been down here in a long time.

"As long as we're not up with all those camera lenses." Julian mutters.

He looks at me, silently asking if it's okay for him to hold my hand. I take it without hesitation and his grip becomes tight. Really tight. I try to ignore it, but my palm is getting sweaty. He opens the door and we walk in. Luckily there's a light switch in here, and he turns it on before locking the door behind us.

There's nothing in here but a bed and a few boxes. There's another door that I'm guessing leads to a bathroom, and both rooms are super small. I look at Julian and raise one eyebrow.

"Safe enough for you?" I say sarcastically. he grins and laughs.

"Glad to see you're yourself again." he says.

"I don't know how I'm supposed to be myself anymore. I don't know how…" my voice trails off.

"What do you not know how to do, my dear?" he clasps his hands together. Too formal.

"Stop it." I grumble.

He looks confused, very politely confused.

"Stop what?" a hint of a smile is on his face.

"Stop _that_. You know I hate it when you act all courtly and black-tie around me. And I know you don't like to be that way either, it's not who you are."

He sits on the bed and looks at me. I keep my arms at my sides.

"I don't want it to be like this between us, April." he says.

"Well I don't either, you know. We're all alone and no one can bother us, I'd rather not spend this time fighting or being stately with eachother."

"How do you want to spend this time then?" he raises one eyebrow.

I stay silent for a minute, then I ask him.

"Did you mean all those things you said, Julian?" I whisper.

"Of course. Every word of it. Why would I say it if it weren't true?"

"After all I've done to you… you really still think that? I don't get why you would, I've hurt you so much…" he gets up and stands in front of me, his mouth millimeters from mine. I can feel his breath on my face, it reminds me of our first kiss and smells faintly of peppermint.

"I'll tell you if you promise not to run away this time." he says.

I look into eyes, electric blue and lovesick.

"I promise." I murmur.

I can feel his being his soul being poured into the bottle that I'm drowning in.

He takes a deep breath before saying

"I can't stop thinking about _us_. The life we could live together consumes me on an hourly basis. I think of us getting married, having our own children, sitting side by side on golden thrones. I see myself placing a crown on your perfect hair, I see you in the most gorgeous wedding dress anyone has ever laid their eyes on. I see you falling asleep in my arms every night, and waking up to my kisses every morning. And I will give you the best of me-"

"I don't want the best of you." I say. Oh god why is he so damn good with words he is so much better than me at saying anything. He goes from looking in love to being petrified. Frozen in fear.

He's suddenly terrified that I'm going to push him away again. The thought makes me smile.

"I don't want the best version of you: that formal you where I can never tell what the hell you're thinking. I don't want you to think about what is the best thing for you to say before you tell me something. I don't want you to think anymore when you're around me. I want you when you're at your worst, I want you when your emotions are raw, written plainly across your face as if they were ripped right out of your chest. I want you, Julian. I want you for who you truly are, and I don't give a damn how cheesy that sounds. I want your no filter attitude, I want you to yell at me because you care too much and can't keep your voice down, I want you to tell me secrets and stupid jokes that don't make any sense. I want to be the one person that you can tell anything and everything to. I want your soft sweet kisses and your beating heart and god I just-"

He starts laughing like he's going crazy, like he can't believe this is happening. He doesn't know if he's dreaming is this even real

His lips crash into mine, and damn he tastes like heaven. This is different from our first couple of kisses, this is something much much different. It's heavy, and his tongue is in my mouth

I'm against the wall. He's kissing me like the world is rolling off a cliff, and I'm not doing anything to stop him. My hands shake as I undo his tie and throw it to the floor, I unbutton his suit coat and it slides off his shoulders and disappears. The loose straps on my dress slip off my shoulders and down my arms, he unzips the back of it and stops. But he doesn't pull away, and he keeps his eyes closed.

"Tell me this is what you want and I won't make this annoying pause again." he mumbles.

"Why are you still talking, prince? Shut up and kiss me." I growl with a wicked grin.

Julian has an evil grin on his face as my dress drops to the floor, and his hands are responsible. I step out of my shoes and kiss him hard, he moans softly as he kisses me back. He falls backward onto the bed and I undo all his buttons, our lips never parting.

Oh lordy his bare chest is a work of art. I break away and slide my hands down his muscles. Julian slowly sits up and gets rid of his shirt, I feel his legs shift as he slips his shoes off.

I'm in his lap, straddling his hips. His eyes are open and he's staring at me. Drinking in the sight of me and he whispers

"You're so beautiful. _You're so unbelievably beautiful_." he's breathing hard and I'm covering his chest with kisses that trail up to his neck. He's stroking my lower back with his fingers as I undo his belt, I realize I'm panting. The anticipation is taking over me.

His belt comes off easily, I whip the bed with it before tossing it somewhere. My hands are still shaking, his kisses are so deep and he's good at prying my lips open. He actually knows where to put his tongue, mine is just trying to stay out of his way. I've never done this before!

"_How did you learn to kiss like that?_" I murmur.

"I've kissed you in my dreams." he simply says.

"I'm flattered but also a little creeped out." I laugh as I shakily whisper.

"Hey, it's okay, I don't bite, sweetheart."

"I love it when you call me that."

"Sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"Well, these pants aren't going to take themselves off."

He helps me slide them off his legs, my eyes widen as I see his tight grey boxers. He's on top of me in an instant, kissing me everywhere. My cheeks, the tip of my nose, the line of my jaw, all across my forehead and down the side of my face.

"Close your eyes." he whispers. I do as he says, he places the lightest of kisses on my eyelids. My lips part as his hips press into me, I take in a sharp breath as he trails his lips down my neck and all over my chest.

His lips touch my bare stomach, and something collapses in my skull.

The light in the room shuts off, and I can't see anything.

That's it, I'm dead. I'm dying and I'm dead. His fingers slide under the elastic band of my underwear and move down my thighs, and I gasp. I can only make out the outline of his shoulders, watching how they unsteadily move up and down as he breathes in and out. He's now moving his way up my body, and I abruptly flip him over and pin him to the bed. He's so surprised by my sudden strength that a bubbly laugh that I've never heard escapes him. It makes me smile and I lean in, but I don't kiss him. We're nose to nose now, and I wait for our breathing to slow down before I say so softly.

"Julian." It's so sweet, and almost silent.

His lips part and he mouths my name against my lips, his arms around me tighten, our legs get tangled up. I can't tell where one of us ends and the other begins, he is pure ecstasy.

"_I love you_." I whisper.

He forgets to breathe in for a few seconds and he says nothing. My barely covered chest presses against his, I can feel his heart beating a mile a minute.

"what did you say?" is what comes out of his mouth. I smile.

"_I love you so much, Julian._ _And I'm so sorry I wasn't able to say it before… but I'm not scared anymore. I love you I love you and I'm not afraid to say it-_"

His smile is so huge and he's so happy it's making my heart swell up, his forehead presses to mine and he's almost crying he's so happy he's so _relieved_.

"I love you too, _April god I love you with all my heart_-"

And he's kissing me and touching me everywhere I was afraid to be touched. His fingers are in my hair and between my shoulder blades, getting more tangled up in eachother and I don't know how we'll ever stand next to eachother fully clothed without losing our minds. To know that under his tailored suit and charming smile there is a god that is made up of love and perfection. It makes me wonder why he has to wear clothes, it's unfair, really.

"Where's your crown?" I ask him a few hours later, we're under the sheets. His thumb traces circles on my cheekbone.

"I placed it on the floor, didn't you see?"

"I don't know, I was just wondering if you forgot about it."

He laughs, "How could I forget about that thing? It weighs like eight pounds and sits on my head all day."

"You don't make a crown sound like all it's cracked up to be."

"Girls crowns are better, they weigh less and stay on your head easier."

Julian reaches down and picks his crown up off the floor.

"Sit up," he murmurs, "I want to try something."

I do as he says, and he sits facing me. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and I can see the outline of his crown. He reaches up slowly and gently places it on my head.

He's right, it is heavy. Like the weight of his country rests on him.

He smiles and brushes my hair back, he leans in to kiss me once.

"You're gorgeous." he whispers. I giggle.

"No, I'm serious." he says.

"I didn't think you were kidding." I murmur.

"You are going to be the most beguiling princess this country has ever seen. Until then…" he takes the crown off my head and sets me down under the blankets. Julian envelopes me in his arms and his legs, I'm caught inbetween him and the wall. Our heads rest on the same pillow and we both have our eyes open, staring into eachother.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before." I whisper.

"I would have waited a thousand years for you, April." Julian murmurs.

"You're so much better at it than me."

"Better at what?"

"Saying stuff."

"Well, I've been trained for it my whole life..."

I yawn.

"What, is my incoming story boring you already?"

"I'm just… never tired at night. This is such a weird feeling…"

"Would you like me to bore you to sleep, sweetheart?"

"Hilarious." I yawn again.

Maybe this is what I needed, maybe my sleep disorder isn't even a sleep disorder.

Maybe I just needed him with me, and that is the cure.

"You'll protect me, Julian?" I feel myself falling asleep, _no I want to stay up all night with him._

"_With my life_."

It's the last thing I hear before I fall asleep in his arms.


	26. Chapter 26

Julian

Last night was the best night of my life.

And today is going to be the worst day of my existence.

I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep, so I watched her all night. Creepy, sure, but it was the only thing I could do to keep from losing my mind completely. I held her close to me all night, and made sure that nothing came in this room while she was asleep. I would gladly rip anyone apart that would try to hurt her.

I know what I have to do today, and the thought of doing it makes me want to cry.

A lot.

Having April tell me she loves me made me forget how to do anything. I laid there limp for a number of seconds, completely numb and in disbelief of what she had said. I wonder if I will ever have a happier moment than her kissing me and me telling her how much I love her.

April's eyelids flutter, and her violet eyes stare straight at me. She has to blink a couple times before she sees me and remembers everything. She smiles and brings her face closer.

"What was that you were saying… about falling asleep in your arms every night, and waking up to your kisses every morning?" she says.

"Your breath smells terrible." I grin.

"Well so does yours! Now kiss me, morning breath." she laughs and I tackle her on the bed, showering her in kisses. I would kiss her like this all day, if only the people in the palace knew where we were. We may as well be dead to them.

"Ah! Your breath really does smell awful!" she shrieks as I breathe into her mouth. She elbows me away.

"You're disgusting!" she's laughing so hard and pretending to fan air away from her face. I must have bags under my eyes because suddenly she's staring right under my eyes.

"Julian. You did not stay up all night." she narrows her eyes.

"What else was I supposed to do if I couldn't sleep? I'll be fine, sweetheart. You've had plenty of sleepless nights too."

"Well, unlike you, I would take a six hour nap the next day. I don't think you can do that."

"April, trust me. I can get through a day without napping. I've had sleepless nights before, you know."

"You didn't have to do that though." she grumbles.

"Why? Do you have a problem with me watching you sleep?"

"No, it's not that. Draw a sharpie mustache on my face for all I care. I just don't want you to feel obligated to watch over me at night… that's all."

I stroke her cheek with the back of my hand, she relaxes.

"Let me protect you if I want to, April. Please? Especially right now. The palace has never been in this much danger, I swear to god… You let me keep you safe, no matter what I say. You do it. Promise?"

"I don't know if I can make a promise like that-"

"Promise me you'll do what I say, April."

she sighs, then gives in.

"Okay. I promise."

"Thank you." I whisper.

"You have to promise me something too." she says.

"What is it?"

"Promise me you won't die." her voice breaks on the last word. So does my heart.

Because I don't know how to promise her something so massive as this.

"April…" she grips my shoulders, I can see tears in her eyes.

"No. No, you won't die on me. You are my everything, Julian. I love you too much to lose you. Promise me, Julian. Please! Promise me!" she wraps her arms around my neck and stifles a sob on my shoulder. I feel her tears land on me and I pull her onto my lap.

"Please." she whispers. Another tear falls down her face and I kiss it away. I press my forehead to hers and stare into her. I let out a deep breath.

"I promise." I whisper.

We're up and dressed in out in the hallways again.

"Where are we going?" April asks.

I don't answer her.

We get to the front doors of the palace, and she looks at me with fear in her eyes.

"Julian? What are you doing?" her voice trembles.

"I'm sending you home." I croak.

Her countenance falls and she drops my hand, I take her hand back and clutch it.

"Let go, Julian." she mumbles.

"No, you don't understand-"

"Yeah, I don't understand, Julian. Why? I thought you said you wanted a life with me-"

"I do! April, I want everything with you. But I don't want you dead. I'd rather send you home for a few weeks than never see you again in my life."

"Wait… a few weeks?" she looks at me.

"Maybe less than that. Or longer, I don't know. But you're the only girl left here, and everything is targeting you. I… I want you to stay here so badly, but I love you enough to let you go."

"Do you mean…"

"You really think I'd permanently send you home after the best night of my life? Of course I'm going to bring you back here once it's safe. But… you have to go back to Hansport for a little while. Until everything is sorted out and you can come back here."

She stares at me and says nothing.

"Please don't be pissed at me." I mumble.

"I'm not pissed. I'm just scared to death."

"What?! Why? You'll be safe-"

"But you won't! We both made promises to eachother, and I feel like you're already backing out on yours." her voice trembles as she whispers.

"Oh, April. I'm not going to let myself die. I will live, and I will bring you back to me."

"You say that now just to try to reassure me-"

"I will not break my promise, April. And neither will you. Now… Now…"

"Just say it, I can take it." she looks away.

"April… go home." I point toward the door which is a few yards away from us. She lets go of my hand. I dare to look at her face one more time.

And she's looking right at me.

"I guess I'll go take a couple naps then." she laughs but it dies quickly.

_One last kiss. Just one._

She leans in and pecks me on the cheek before walking away. I want to take her back into my arms and really kiss her, but she pushes the door open and walks out into the morning. I stare at the back of her, her red hair glints in the sun. I will myself still as the door shuts and locks.

I stood there for a long time before I started moving again. I knew nothing would be enough for me to take my mind off her, so I head out to the stables and find my white horse.

"Hey, Ice. Guess it's just you and me now." I rub my hand in its mane, and mount the horse before trotting out to the palace commons.

Maybe I should I have showered or gotten changed, but I'm leaving her honeysuckle scent on me for as long as I can. It's so strange not having anymore girls here, the castle feels empty. I would say it's peaceful, now that the cameras have left for a while. But they'll be back, and I have no idea how we're going to push the New Asians away from us. They're not going to leave us alone, we may have to put up barriers. Yet that also may not work.

How did she do that yesterday? April must have known that her glass violin would reflect the light from the ball of fire. How did she even find out? Why didn't she tell me?

I would use that technique if the violin didn't shatter the second the light hit it.

I remember our first date, when April's horse went crazy and it wouldn't listen to my commands. I feel that she must have provoked the horse to do those things, but she'd never ridden a horse before, how would she know?

Then there was when she moved the ladder with her mind, and the charred hole in the ground where a tree was…

I used to think she was not like the other girls, and though that's true…

I now begin to wonder if she's all human.


	27. Chapter 27

April

No one in Hansport knew I was coming home, so when the jet landed in front of my house I quickly got out and walked up to my front door. The jet flew away, and I wondered if I'd ever see one there again; one that would take me back to the palace.

Back to Julian. Jesus, I miss him so much already.

I kicked my door open and my mom spilled coffee all over the counter. Her jaw drops and she stares at me like she's dreaming. I slam the door closed and walk up to the counter wearing my poofy ball gown princess dress. Tears are already spilling down my cheeks.

"April…? Sweetie is that you?" she's completely stunned.

"No, mom, it's the easter bunny!" I sob. She runs around the counter and hugs me tight.

"Oh, honey I didn't know you were coming home! Are you okay? Tell me what happened. No, you don't have to talk about it if you-"

"I can't stay at the palace anymore. Julian wanted to protect me, so he sent me home."

I wrap my arms around her and we stay like that for a while.

"I- I think I'm going back though. Julian said he loves me, and that he'll bring me back to the palace once it's safe."

"I know he will. Your father and I have seen the Reports where it talks about the strange deaths, and I'm so relieved that you're safe here now. Want me to make you a coffee, sweetheart?"

"Uh.. could you not call me sweetheart for a while, mom? It hurts a little bit."

She seems to understand that that's what Julian called me, so she shuts up and nods. She goes to make coffee and I turn to sit at the table.

My grandmother's mirror is sitting on the table. Weird, I don't remember bringing it home. Mom sees me turning it over in my hands, and she comes over to me while the coffee maker heats up.

"You know, your grandmother was just like you. You two could have been twins."

I look up at her.

"Mom… I remember that Grammie used to tell me this mirror is special. Do you know what she meant by it?" I look at my reflection and run my finger over the bejewled frame.

"Your grandmother… I don't know why I didn't get her violet eyes. But you did. She told me crazy stories, but I never believed them. She was very strange."

"What kind of stories?" I ask.

"A lot of them I don't really remember. But she said that when she found love… she got special powers. She could manipulate things with her mind, and could bend the earth if she wanted to. Maybe even bend time…"

"She just got powers?! How? Did she ever learn how to control it?" Mom bites her lip.

"The man she fell in love with was an alien. Or at least, that's what she told me. She also said that once I fell in love, her genes and her powers would go into me. I was scared for a while… but I never got the powers she told me about."

The coffee maker dings, and she goes to make me a cup.

Julian isn't an alien, but I have a feeling my grandmother and I have the same genes. She had violet eyes, and she got special powers. I must have gotten her powers through genetics. I sigh, wishing she was still alive.

"Mom?" I ask.

"Yes, honey?"

"How did Grammie die?" I ask, trying to sound normal.

My mom sighs.

"I don't know. One day she was here… the next day she was gone. And she never came back. Everyone just assumed she was dead."

"You said she died of a heart attack." I say.

"I didn't want to tell you she disappeared. I didn't want to frighten you with something no one will ever understand. I'm… I'm sorry I never told you, April."

I get up and my mom hands me an espresso.

"Thanks, mom. I'm just glad you told me the truth."

I head outside to the backyard, and take the mirror with me.

I don't get it… what happened? Is my grandma still alive? Can she help me? Why is this mirror so special?

I look in the mirror, a face that looks just like mine stares right at me. And the weirdest thing happens.

My reflection winks at me.

I nearly drop the mirror, and I place it down on the grass next to me. Holy crap. I take large gulps of my coffee, trying to calm myself down. It doesn't really work.

That mirror is more than it appears.


	28. Chapter 28

Julian

_She's standing with me on my balcony in the rain. Her violet eyes glow vibrant and grow wide as I press my hips against hers. I wrap my arms around her and she leans into me, her hands get tangled up in my hair. She reaches for my crown and I watch as she places it on her head. I can't describe how beautiful she looks, like she's too good to be a princess, or a Queen._

_She is a goddess. _

_I lose myself in her eyes, and she pulls me down and kisses me. Raindrops cover us and she pries my lips open, she tastes amazing; like sweet champagne and strawberries. Her fingers dig into my back, and we both want more._

_I want it all, every inch of her. Everyday for the rest of my life. The kiss deepens, and I close my eyes._

_"Julian..." She whispers. My lips part as I stifle a moan._

The sun gets in my eyes and I pull the covers over my head. Dammit, it was just a dream.

But it felt so real…

This week has been long and uneventful, with the exception of spending more time with my little sister. Why would I need a bunch of ladies kissing me when I have a mountain of stuffed animals right next to my bed?

Okay that actually sounds a little pathetic… but you can't blame a little girl for having so many stuffed animals that she has to put some in _my_ bedroom. Having them there is also her excuse to come into my room to see me, so I don't complain.

I know that Gracie's in my room when I realize I'm being smacked with a stuffed dolphin. I throw the covers back and bolt out of bed, falling into the enormous pile of them. My little sister's bubbly laughter fills the room.

"Julie! Julie!" she jumps up and down and drags me a couple inches across the floor.

"Well, _someone_ had a bowl of crazy flakes this morning!" I swing her over my shoulder and she screams.

I walk out of the room barefoot in my pajamas, and carry her to the library.

"Ugh, Julie, the library's soo boring!"

"How dare you young lady! Blossoming princesses should not use such language!" I yell, feigning her awful, strict tutor, Doris. She bursts out laughing. I set her on the ground and she runs away, I turn to look for books I haven't read yet.

The ladder is still up against the back wall under the window. I walk up to it to feel how sturdy it is, and surprised to see that it's much better than before it broke; it's like it's almost new. April claimed that she moved this with her mind, and I saw it myself. How the hell… telekinesis is impossible.

Or last I knew.

Gracie's sitting on a long table, petting her dolphin. She brown eyes set on me.

"Julie?" she asks.

"Yes, Gracie?"

"Why isn't April here anymore? Did she tell you she loves you?"

"Yes… yes she did."

"Then why is she gone?"

I sigh softly and walk over to her, my hand absentmindedly strokes her dolphin.

"April… had to go back to Hansport to do some things…" I lie. I don't want to frighten her, New Asians aren't targeting Gracie right now. But she doesn't need to know that April was unsafe here: our own home. But just so happens our home is a government building, and if we were to be attacked… this is where they'd hit first.

"What things?" she presses innocently.

"Um…" I take a deep breath. "Well… since her family will be moving soon… they just need to fill out forms and find a house closer to us. She'll be back soon though, I promise. Then you, me, daddy, mommy and April can all have a special tea party. Okay? Sounds good?"

She nods excitedly.

"I've always wanted a big sister! Can I drink coffee with her too?!" her eyes widen.

I nervously laugh, "Uh… we'll wait some years before you can do that."

"But my half birthday is coming up soon! April said _she_ started drinking coffee when she was eight years old!" she crosses her arms.

"Well… April… she's April, she does things she shouldn't."

"Like shooting a birdie in the neck? Or falling asleep at breakfast?"

I can't help but laugh at that. I nod.

"Yes, things like that."

That night, my parents, Gracie and I were seated on our thrones, prepped up and ready for yet another Report. The bright lights were shining, the cameras filming us were scaring me to death, and I was trying to pay attention to what my father was saying… but I kept thinking that on the other side of that camera, April was watching me at this second. I couldn't take my eyes off it, I couldn't take my thoughts off _her_.

But something about the cameras seems off, and my father's words from a week ago echo in my brain.

_His undercover soldiers have broken in and set these things up. They could be around us as we speak._

There is no roar, no warning, no time before it happens.

A ball of green fire shoots from the camera.

And it hits my little sister right in the neck.


	29. Chapter 29

April

I was sitting in the back of a Starbucks, drinking an espresso when it happened. There's a few TVs on the walls of the cafe, and everyone was watching the Report. Maxon was in the middle of giving us updates on the war, when an all too familiar ball of green fire hit little princess Gracie in the neck. Blood spurted everywhere, and the whole scene on the television erupted into chaos. I watched in horror as big men dressed in green uniforms shot Maxon in the head, and two grabbed a stunned, screaming Julian off the set. There was so much going on that I didn't see what had happened to America Schreave.

The cafe was dead silent.

Rage and fear consumed me, I sat at the back table facing the front window. My hands shook as they clutched my mug, I noticed little ripples in my coffee. My lips started twitching. My whole new family, all of them could be dead. Obviously Maxon and Gracie… but America and Julian could be dead as well.

_Julian_.

I watch as the road outside the shop quickly splits in half with an earth shattering crack. A bus falls into the deepening gap between the two halves of the road, pedestrians scream and the fissure spreads down through the rest of the street.

The cause of the earthquake was me. I know it was. But it was uncontrollable, and the sudden turn of events made my mind go crazy.

The camera filming the Report was knocked over, it falls to the floor and shuts off, no one moves. No one makes a sound.

As if things couldn't get any worse! A bomb fell from the sky and landed on the other end of the street. The explosion was deafening. More screaming.

That was what got everybody up and moving, I sat still in my seat. The coffee was still hot, so I slowly drank the rest of it as I watched the bombs fall on apartment buildings, stores, my school. People.

I realized with very little emotion that the world was going to hell.

I guess it didn't bother me that much, Julian was probably dead, so there wasn't much reason left for me to live. I wonder what just became of my parents, I wouldn't be surprised if I came back to my house and saw that there was no house. At least I still had my mirror.

Leaving the cup on the table, I got up from my chair and put my hands in the pockets of my grey sweatshirt. I'm wearing polka dot pajama pants, and an old pair of sneakers. My hair is a mess. Not like it matters anymore, really. I bet I look better than those who are just a pile of ashes and bones. Partially.

I stroll out of the shop and walk down the street, humming absentmindedly. Cameras spit balls of fire in the open air, but none of them hit me.

I don't let them.

It's surprisingly very easy to move things with my mind now… I consider letting one hit me. It'd be a fast way to go, and I don't think I have anything left.

I was right when I thought that my house would be gone. Nothing but rubble. Weird how I don't fall to my knees crying, everything is falling apart all around me.

I'm too far gone to care anymore.

My shaky hand holds my mirror up to my face.

"Come on." I croak. "Wink at me or something! Show me I'm not alone." I almost start to cry, but a car comes up and almost hits me.

It's a red convertible.

"The things being in the goddamn Selection can do for you are wonderful, aren't they, Honey-Cakes?" Gabrielle's green eyes look at me with slight amusement.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" I almost scream.

"Oh just get in the fucking car, April. What else do have to do right now? Wallow in your pool of stress and heartbreak?"

I get in the new car and bitch-slap her.

"You know I once thought you were a nice person! Now I realize you could have been Illea's first Queen of sarcasm and bitchiness!" I growl.

"Oh, please. I'm glad I stayed there for as long as I did. The money got me this new, totally badass convertible. Isn't it gorgeous? It's my baby."

"I'll make sure to key it later." I grumble as I strap myself in.

She steps on the gas and the car shoots forward like a rocket. Tangled locks of hair get in my face as I try to see the road.

"Where the hell are we going anyway, _Gabby_?"

"Where else do you think we'd go? We're going to the palace."

The thought of just driving in to that mess makes me start laughing. Gabby doesn't look at me. My laughter dies quickly.

"Oh shit you're serious."

She nods.

"Well why the hell are we going there? We're just going to get ourselves killed." _Telekinesis or not, our chances of surviving there right now are pretty slim._

"Nah, I bet we'll be fine. But don't you want to see if Julian's alive or not? Maybe they just threw him in the dungeons or something."

"Why do you even care?" I ask her.

She's silent for a minute. The road we're driving on is barren, and I get a sick feeling in my stomach.

Gabby takes in a deep breath, it comes out shaky and painstakingly.

"I fell in love with a guard there. Officer Smith. I know it's fucking treason… but if he's dead then I'm hoping that I'll just die while we're there."

I turn to look at her. She looks like she's about to cry.

We're silent for a few minutes.

"You love Julian, don't you?" her voice is quiet.

I nod and keep my eyes on the road.

She sighs,

"Then let's just hope they're both still alive."

I nod again, not sure what to say.

The palace comes into view. Beefy men in green uniforms surround the entrance.

"How do we get in? They're gonna see us any second." I whisper.

Gabby grins.

"Don't think I don't know you have special powers. I'm not stupid."

"You must be freakin psychic." I murmur.

"We simply drive in, and you just make sure we hit at least one of them with my car."

I shake my head at her, smiling.

"You're insane." I whisper.

"Only as insane as you, Honey-Cakes."


	30. Chapter 30

Julian

I instantly knew that the green uniformed guards were New Asians. Obviously they were stronger than fuckin oxen, for them carrying me into the hallway must have been like picking up a pinecone and chucking it at a tree. I barely registered the fact that I was screaming my head off, and I couldn't process through my brain that my father and my little sister were dead.

I was whacked across the face with a black club, and my crown flew off my head. It landed on the floor and rolled away from me. Black spots dotted my vision, and I was punched in the jaw so hard I stumbled and fell to my knees, my head started to spin and I wondered if they were just going to kill me right there.

The club smacked into my right temple, and I blacked out.

The sun was getting in my eyes, there was a sharp pain just below my knees, I heard yelling coming all directions, and a few explosions here and there.

Horror ripped my eyelids open, I and I wished I'd kept them closed.

Whatever nightmares I've had in the past are dreams, compared to what's in front of me.

This is New Asian territory, I know because I've seen it before (on camera and from a bird's eye view… but never firsthand). The land around me is crumbling, this city I'm being dragged through is not even fit to live in. Yet, there are still quite a few people here; savages, homeless victims in ragged clothing, fighting over basic necessities. Food, water, clean air, a place to sleep, a blanket for gods sake! It's cold as hell out here. Screaming, gunshots, all kinds of noises that mix in with eachother and become one never ending cry, and it spreads across the city.

My hands and feet are tied together, my legs being helplessly towed on the cracked and jagged road. I feel my knees being scratched underneath me. I try to move them on my own or get an angle to see my wounds, but even slightly moving a muscle makes me grunt in pain. One guard on either side of me grips under my arms and neither bothers to lift me up higher than a couple feet, they hear my small cry and their grips become tighter. I lift my head up a little and see that there are more making a circle around me. They shoot pedestrians that get too close to me, and I watch in terror as a little curious boy walks up towards me.

A green guard shoots him in the head without looking twice, he crumples to the ground in a little heap. I bite my lip to keep a sob from breaking out.

Everything hurts, and I'm hauled up the many steps into an enormous black castle that towers over its dying metropolis. the castle is much bigger than Illea's, and could _easily_ fit all those helpless people in the grand hall. Yet, the giant room is completely empty. Guess Qin Huang (aka King stick-up-his-ass) doesn't want his dirty citizens in his palace.

Rage courses through me, white and hot. Those people out there don't deserve this.

Someone wraps a blindfold around my head, and I'm momentarily blind as I'm yanked up three damn flights of stairs. A door clicks open, and the light sneaking under the cloth I'm wearing disappears as the guards towing me enter the dark room.

The blindfold is taken off and the first thing I see is a giant television screen. I also see the all beautiful and arrogant offspring of the devil, also known as Princess Jade of New Asia.

If not for the Selection, I would be engaged to her right now (thank the lord). We both know it, and I wonder if the reason for this war is not only because they want more land.

It could be because my father did not want to wed me to Jane. I mean, the girl's gorgeous but even my father can understand that I would not to be stuck with _her_ for my lifetime.

Nonetheless, Jade has hated me ever since. And it is not pretty.

She kneels down in front of me, her green eyes that gave her her name narrow as she sizes me up.

"Jade, what a pleasant surprise." I rasp. Damn, my voice sounds terrible.

"Julian! May I say you look quite dashing, covered in bruises and blood. Your appearance matches those of my people, and aren't they all doing well?" she grins.

"Those people need shelter and food, and here you are sitting on your prissy ass all day, not wanting to get your hands dirty to help them. You are a disgrace!"

"Says the boy who selfishly kept a _love game_ going, when he knew the innocent girls were in danger! It is my father's fault that any of this happened! I did nothing!"

"Exactly, _Princess_." I slur.

She abruptly stands up and kicks me in the groin. Hard. I gasp and cuss under my breath. Jane whispers into my ear, "I heard about your little sister, so sad. She was too... frail."

"_you bitch…_" my voice is guttural, it hurts to speak.

"I also heard about your parents, all very sad news." she muses.

My heart twists, my whole family is dead. Oh god, what am I going to do?! My parents are dead, there's no one running the palace-

There's no one running the palace.

"Your father-" I begin to say, but she interrupts me.

"Is not here. Yes, he is on his way to Illea, which will become an extension of our country. But _you should be happy_, we'll be giving all those people outside homes and food! It'll be wonderful! I'll even make you my husband when I get the throne."

I grimace at the thought of being her husband. The woman hates me!

"And what if I say never in a million years, _Honey-Cakes_?" I sneer.

"Oh I have my ways of manipulating people, forcing them to give me what I want. And I want _you_, Julian." she kisses me hard and I have no choice but to endure it. I wish I could just throw up in the bitch's mouth.

I think April's personality is rubbing off on me.

"You have no reason to say no to me, Julian. I know you find me attractive, every man on the face of this earth does. It's unavoidable. Besides, _you have no one left_."

I say nothing. I won't let Jade know about her. She can't make me talk.

"Oh come on, sweetheart. You can tell me who she is, can't you?"

I try to keep my expression neutral, my shoulders tense and my heart picks up.

"She must have been the one from Hansport. Am I correct?"

I begin to panic, how can she know? She must be lying- or- or guessing. She wouldn't know who April is because she never became royalty.

"Must have been." she shrugs. "It was the only province my father blew to bits."

My eyes widen.

"You're bluffing. You're lying. I'm not giving in, Jade. I'd rather _die_ than be your King."

She turns on the television behind her, and I recognize April's old school she took me to. I remember the whole street when the camera pans out.

I watch as the camera zooms in on a girl wearing a grey sweatshirt and polka dot pajama pants. Her red hair is a mess, and when I see the violet pair of eyes my heart drops.

"That's her, isn't it? April Clarke… such a shame."

Once April walks into the coffee shop, Jade speeds up the video footage and bombs start falling down. Everywhere.

"No." I croak. "no no no this isn't real. You made this up! This isn't _real_ footage! I know fake when I see it, this _didn't actually happen_-"

"Really? What else do you need, sweetheart? Hansport is nothing but ashes by now. The whole population of that province has been reduced to nothing. AND SHE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT! SHE'S DEAD, JULIAN! YOU. HAVE. NOTHING-"

I helplessly struggle in the guards' arms, I start screaming at her.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID TO HER! _Just wait till I get my hands on you, I'LL RIP YOU TO PIECES-"_

"Get him out of my sight, and the fire squad better be out by 7:00, _tonight_. Got it?"

I don't hear the guard's response as I'm still shouting awful things her, they drag me out into the hall and knock me out in a single punch.


	31. Chapter 31

April

To get into the palace, Gabby's car has to get through the terminal. Then a big ass gate. Then we have to somehow get into the front doors.

All that sounds so hard already, but with this many guards… getting into the palace would be impossible.

If I didn't have extraterrestrial powers, that is.

Gabby's going at fucking 120 miles per hour, and the wind is blowing my hair back so hard it hurts. I slowly turn to look at her and see she's grinning like a fiend.

"How bout we listen to music while we happily hit people with my car?" she yells. Guards 200 yards away spot us and take out their machine guns. Gabby cranks up the radio and I nearly smack her when the song comes on.

_**Move bitch, get out the way**_

_**Get out the way bitch, get out the way**_

_**Move bitch, get out the way**_

_**Get out the way bitch, get out the way**_

Gabby's laughing her ass off as I move Guards with my mind into the path of our car, I make sure none of the bullets hit us. But everything about this situation is so awful that I start laughing too, and I can't stop myself. We're both laughing hysterically, and I watch as the beautiful palace comes into view. Green guards are shooting at us like mad, and they all lose their minds as not a single bullet even comes close to us. I notice we're getting close to the front doors, and if she doesn't stop the car, then we're gonna smash into something.

"Stop the car!" I yell, but the music and yelling drowns out my voice.

"MOP THE TAR?!" she screams.

"SHUT THE DAMN MUSIC OFF!" I shriek.

The red convertible smashes through the front doors, and skids across the floor of the Grand Hall. Gabby slams on the brakes, but we spin out of control and smash into the huge staircase. The radio abruptly shuts off and an airbag deploys in Gabby's face. She stumbles out of the car and takes a look at her now totalled convertible.

"Shit." she grumbles. I hop out of the car and gawk at the mess we just made. Holy crap. The staircase is now a pile of crushed marble.

"Wait… I can fix this." I murmur. Gabby stares at me.

"How the hell can you fix _this_?!"

"I don't know. I did it with a ladder once." I shrug.

As I keep my mind focused on the rubble, I watch as it pieces itself back together. Gabby runs over and drags her car towards the middle of the room. It's so hard to believe that a little over a month ago, Madison and I were carrying books through this same hallway.

That was the day I first saw a ball of green fire, and I would have died if I didn't have that mirror with me.

Gabby gawks at the completely repaired staircase, and I look down that same hallway where the camera was so long ago. Gabby doesn't see me as I walk down it, my sneakers squeak with every cautious step as I make my way to the end of it. I stand in exactly the same place as before.

A red glowing number appears on the wall in front of me.

0

The zero gets bigger, and I back up slowly. It gets to be even larger than me, and I fall backward onto the floor. I watch in awe and terror as the zero becomes a portal, and a blonde girl my age flies out from it and lands in a crouch in front of me. The portal closes and I'm left with the stranger in the hallway. She slowly stands up. Fear courses through me as Julian's words echo in my head.

_Leah… she isn't human anymore. Something… something happened to her. She's dangerous. Lethal. It's hard to explain, her eyes got red… she grew fangs-_

"Hello, April." the girl says smoothly. I instantly recognize her.

Fuck. I thought he was bluffing when he said all those things about her.

"... Leah. You look different." I tremble as her eyes glow bloodred. She smiles and it shows a row of fangs.

"Oh really? No shit. I know what I used to look like, dumbass. I have mirrors. But I'm glad I left the old me behind, I was weak and frail… like you. So sad you have to die this way, but they are Jade Huang's orders."

"Who the hell is Jade Huang?" I ask her.

Leah rolls her bloody eyes. "The princess of New Asia. Christ, April."

I didn't know New Asia had a princess. Crap. A thought comes to me.

"Where's Julian?" I order. She simply laughs at me.

"That prick? Why does it matter? I told him when I left that I'd just find another man, much more powerful than _him_. I'm marrying prince Chi of New Asia next winter."

"I thought you just said they have a princess."

"They're twins."

"Why would you tell me all this?" my eyes narrow.

She shrugs. "I may as well rub it in _someone's _face."

"Where's Julian, you psychotic bitch?" I yell, I push myself to my feet.

Leah towers over me, sexy and intoxicatingly evil. Like Satan's teenage daughter. Or Satan's wife.

She's probably both by now.

"He's dead, _sweetheart_. But don't worry, I'm nice enough to let you join him in hell." a wicked grin spreads across her face, and agony rips through my veins. She could be lying, but it would make sense. All the other royals are dead.

Heartbreak courses through my being, as Leah's cold hands wrap around my throat and lift me up off the ground. She squeezes tight, and tears bud in my eyes. Gravity is dragging me down to the floor but Leah is holding me like I'm a rag doll. My breath is ragged and after a few seconds I can't find any air.

Can't breathe can't breathe can't breathe. I'm dying I'm dying.

My arms start to hum as they hang stupidly at my sides. Leah's eyes widen, she grips my throat tighter and I try to scream but I can't make any noise. My whole body is humming with unused energy and suddenly all I see is purple light clouding my vision. It's bright and electric and Leah drops me to the floor.

The whole length of my arms, my chest, are violet and lit up like fireworks. I have to squint to see them. My old sleep clothes have been replaced by a full length violet gown, its train a mile long and lighting everything around me in a purple glow.

I stand up and thrust my arms out, and a beam of light shoots from my hands.

It hits Leah in the face and she is thrown backward.

Her body hits the back wall. Hard.

and crumples.


	32. Chapter 32

**Trying a new POV just for this chapter! Doesn't mean Julian's dead (but you know how evil I can be sometimes so we'll just see what happens *laughs maniacally*)**

Jade

The screaming son of a bitch was dragged out of the room once I couldn't stand his presence any longer. Though I hated him to the core, having him by my side as King could have lessened Illea's panic about another country taking over. At least then they could have had a Schreave King like they have always had.

Kissing him was utterly repulsive, and the blood in his mouth from biting his cheek didn't help anything.

I knew the stupid girl wasn't dead, but having him think that was a warm fuzzy joy at the pit of my stomach.

I consider it revenge for him breaking my heart. When he didn't want to marry me.

I was an idiot.

An eye for an eye?

Whatever.

At seven oclock, however, we could not have his execution.

"Why the hell not?! I want him dead, general. I want the people to see that he's dead."

"We'll have to have the execution tomorrow morning, your majesty." he looks scared.

"Why. Can't. We. Have it. TONIGHT?!" I screech, he flinches.

"Because the Hansport girl has destroyed our ultimate weapon."

"The experiment we did on the blonde? But she's indestructible!"

I remember the girl that came here awhile ago, Leah. She really thought she could marry my brother. HA. Never in a million years. No one is good enough for my little brother.

But we tricked her into thinking she was worthy. Why?

She's the perfect test subject.

She had already been infected by our military weapons, her eyes were red to prove it. Once you're exposed to our green fire, you either die or you become a mutt.

Apparently April's immune.

"You're telling me... that April Clarke _killed_ Leah Levan? Our military weapon. Our mutated warrior. Our science experiment."

"We have footage." He says.

"I'd like to see this footage." I growl.

The general turns on the television, and our hidden cameras show two things.

Leah, red eyed with a soldier stance. Her hands are around April's throat.

The poor girl is helpless, her feet off the ground and her face is turning pale. She's a goner.

But her eyes, not just her irises but her whole eyes, turn purple. She looks alien. The purple spreads through her entire body; from her face, to her chest her arms her legs everything turns purple. Her old, boring clothes turn into a shimmering deep violet dress, waves of electricity flow through the thin fabric as Leah drops her to the ground.

April isn't a mutt. She's extraterrestrial.

I watch in awe as she gets to her feet, she should be dead. She is a being of violet light, and she throws her arms out as beams of death shoot from her palms. They hit Leah and she's shot into the wall, I cringe as I hear the crack of her neck.

Leah's body is limp on the ground. Obviously dead. But it wasn't the hitting the wall that killed her.

It was exposure to April's ultraviolet beams.

The television immediately shuts off. I keep my jade eyes focused on the wall.

"We will try everything we can to keep her away from New Asia-" the general begins to ramble but I shut him up.

"She can't be stopped… She is an otherworldly _being_. If she wants to come in here and take her prince back, if she wants to destroy everything in her path… there'd be nothing we could do. No military armed forces or mutations could keep her out. HELL, a nuclear bomb wouldn't leave a damn scratch on her!"

"What can we do…? Is there anything?" he asks.

"Kill the prince tomorrow. If he's dead, then that may be just enough for her to back down."

"Tomorrow morning. Seven hundred hours. We'll have the fire squad ready."

That's in approximately 12 hours.

"As soon as you can... And I want to witness it, I want to be the one to tell them to fire."

"As you wish, your majesty." he bows and leaves the room.

I pass by Julian's cell in the dungeon. He's chained to the wall, and he's staring at me. He's been in here for six hours now. He's breathing heavily, his eyes weighed down with emotion I've never seen before. Not even in myself.

Heartbreak. Uncontrollable grief. Love. Hatred. Vengeance he'll never get.

All in that one stare.

"_You gonna kill me now, Honey-Cakes? I'm waiting_." his voice is broken and guttural. Like he's choking on something but miraculously still able to speak.

"Oh don't worry, sweetheart. You'll get what's coming to you. But don't be so sad, it'll be quick. Unlike Miss Clarke's unfortunate death, being crushed and suffocated under tons of cement and ashes-"

He actually roars at me, the way a jaguar would right when it's about to pounce. Tears stream down his face as he shouts very creative swears at me, and I watch him in slight amusement.

It's so funny how he doesn't know anything.

He doesn't know what his lover is capable of.

He doesn't know that she's probably on her way right now to kill me and take him back.


	33. Chapter 33

April

Gabby heard the crash and came running to me, but stopped in her tracks once she got a clear view of how purple my body is.

"April?" Her jaw drops to the floor.

"Yes, Gabby?" Dear lord my voice sounds like music.

"You're... _You're glowing._ Shimmering. Like a thousand stars are lighting up your dress-"

"Julian's dead." I cry, as I fall to my violet sparking knees. I hear footsteps as Gabby runs to sit next to me. She's too scared to touch me, so she tries to find my eyes as she says to me;

"April, I know for a fact that he's not dead. I went down into the dungeon and found all the survivors... along with America's and Maxon's dead bodies. Julian wasn't with them, he must be being held captive as we speak. About twenty guards and I are going to go find him, okay?"

A billion questions race through my head at once, but the only one that comes out is

"Why would you go with them?"

"Have you ever seen Jade Huang? I look exactly like her, we could be freakin twins. I'll just pretend to be her, and when we see Julian we'll take him back."

"Jade... Jade Huang is the princess of New Asia. Why would you..."

Gabby smiles at me.

"Illea's armed forces aren't idiots, April. The Master of Arms knows that New Asia is having Julian's execution tomorrow morning. They just told me. But we won't let him die."

"How- how- how do they know?" my voice trembles.

"Two words: secret cameras." she grins.

"Oh god. Oh god. GOD. What are th-they _doing_ to him?! Is he hurt?! Is he okay? Why- _WHY_ are they doing this-"

"April! April, he's alive. Once he's back here we'll deal with anything else."

"WELL GO! There's no time to waste! We have to go now-"

"NO!" she yells.

"What?" my voice breaks, my mind is spinning.

"You're not coming. You're staying here, and you're going to keep out any other New Asians that dare come in this palace. Do you understand me?"

I glare at her as she stands up and crosses her arms.

"I SAID DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" she screams. I nod my head violently.

Gabby sighs and nods her head.

"Okay. Okay. I'll be back soon." she says.

"Okay." I whisper, and she walks down the hall, leaving me to go on her mission.

Bullshit that I'm not allowed.

Long after Gabby and the guards leave, I'm still in the same spot lying on the floor. I stare up at the ceiling, feeling purple light flow through my veins as my heart tears itself to shreds.

Julian is alive. He's in New Asia. His execution is tomorrow.

That's all I know.

I don't know what mental state he's in. I don't know if he's being tortured. I don't know if Jade Huang has already decided to just kill him now instead of later. I don't know I don't know I don't know-

The thought of anyone hurting him makes me want to blast the world's population with beams of deadly light, and pound their ashes into the dead earth.

"April?"

My eyes fall closed. I must be going insane.

"April is that you?" footsteps. I keep my eyes shut and bite my lip.

Gracie's dead. I saw her die. Illea saw her die.

It's impossible.

This isn't real.

I feel a tiny, warm hand on my purple shoulder. This isn't who I am. This isn't who I want to be. I'm not a monster. I'm just a girl who has had many unfortunate things happen to her in her unforgiving lifetime.

I open my eyes to see a purple Gracie, her eyes match mine.

"I thought Julie sent you home." she whispers.

I slowly sit up and look her in the eye. A tear slides down my cheek as the purple leaks onto the floor, leaving me. My hair becomes red and tangled, the dress is gone and I'm back to my sweats and a grey t shirt. A violet puddle lies around me on the floor.

My heart is melting at the sight of her.

"Gracie?" my hand cups her cheek, she leans into my touch.

"I can still see the fire. The green light.." her little voice trembles and she whimpers. The poor girl must be terrified, she's been through hell and back and she's only seven.

_Seven_.

I pull her into my lap, and she buries her face in my chest. She starts to sob.

"_shh_… it's gone. It's all over now. You're safe, I promise." my attempts at consoling her fail when she asks me

"Where's Julie? And Mommy and Daddy?" she looks up at me with puppy eyes.

My lip quivers and a sob breaks from my chest. Her eyes widen as she watches me silently cry, I don't take my eyes off her. Tears drop down and my vision becomes blurry, Gracie wipes them away with her finger.

I remember part of the last conversation I had with my mother.

"_Your grandmother… I don't know why I didn't get her violet eyes. But you did. She told me crazy stories, but I never believed them. She was very strange."_

"_What kind of stories?" I ask._

"_A lot of them I don't really remember. But she said that when she found love… she got special powers. She could manipulate things with her mind, and could bend the earth if she wanted to. Maybe even bend time…"_

Bend time? I don't know how it happened. I don't know if the love I have with Julian was the kind of love I had to find to discover my powers. Because the love I have with Gracie is much different than my love for Julian. It's a sisterly love, and I wonder…

If that kind of love is the strongest.

I brought Gracie back to life.


	34. Chapter 34

_Imagine you're looking in the mirror at yourself, staring into your reflection._

_Jade colored eyes, dark black hair… long black dress._

_Yet something seems off about you. You look like yourself… but different._

_Your reflection stares at you from the other side of the glass, it seems to blink at different times than you._

_There was no mirror here before today. And the glass is so thin…_

_You reach out with a shaky hand just as your reflection screams and the glass breaks. It shatters into a million pieces and lands around your feet. The person you saw in the mirror wasn't you. It was someone else._

_Because a reflection can't wrap their hand around your throat before throwing you to the ground. Hard. It all happens so fast; your head hits the floor, black spots dot your line of vision, a princess crown is taken off your head, a pretty girl's foot is now pressing into your neck. Your crown is clutched in her left hand, knuckles white, green eyes with fire in them. The girl that isn't you leans in to whisper;_

"_Where is he, Huang? I know you have him here."_

_Shit._

"_His execution is in less than an hour. You'll never make it to him in time." you rasp._

_You try to listen to her response, but the foot is pressing into your neck so hard. You're surprised you were actually able to get the words out into open air. Air that is no longer yours as you used to always take breathing for granted. Stupid stupid stupid stupid._

_You black out from the pain._

Julian

Gracie is dead. My parents are dead. The whole population of Hansport has been wiped out.

April's dead.

Maybe Jade was lying to me, maybe she's out there somewhere in the rubble. Maybe there's a chance-

Fuck. I'm driving myself insane with 'what ifs'.

I couldn't sleep at all last night in this cold, dark, despondent dungeon. The cries of other people in various cells kept me awake. Especially because I was one of them. I cried and shouted even though it was pointless and would get me nowhere. I would thrash against the chains holding me to the wall, trying to get away. Anywhere is better than here. I would try to find a happy place; like when April and I were in the safe room, and I had my arms wrapped around her, she was leaving little sweet kisses all around my neck. I remember telling her that I would protect her with my own life, I remember being mesmerized by the violet light circling in her deep lavender irises, I remember the taste of champagne and strawberries from that one night I had with her.

One night. That was all I got.

And it only made me cry harder.

I fought war with the metal chains on the wall until I felt blood dripping down my arms, and my wrists felt like they were going to fall off my body and disappear. But then I would have been able to get away, right? Nothing holding me back, I would have gone to Illea on foot if I had to.

Emperor Qin Huang is already on his way to Illea. He had guards stationed there for his arrival, but when I saw two green guards pacing down the hall, I heard murmurs that all the guards were dead. A convertible had broken through their barriers and smashed through the front doors. A convertible. A car with no roof, no bulletproof windows. They should have been shot on sight.

I must have heard them wrong, driving into the palace with that artillery should be impossible.

There is one small window in the corner of my cell, and faded sunlight finds its way into my stony cell. I stare at it, my eyes feel dry and sore. My heart is broken beyond repair. Jade was right; I have nothing. Nothing and no one. My soul is dark and empty, like a storm cloud rolled in above it and electrocuted my whole world with its lethal lightning.

When the door to my cell is thrown open, and I look up at the six guards with all the hatred I can muster. Which isn't much because it hurts for me even to blink. They look down at me with no emotion and unchain me. For a second my hands are free, but I can't even find it in me to stand up. The guards at circled around me, blocking the door, and I'm so weak that I have to be lifted up and dragged out of the cell.

I catch a glimpse of my hands before they're tied behind my back; they're covered in red streaks and small bruises.

I don't know where exactly they're taking me, all I can focus on is the blinding pain coursing through my entire being. From the throbbing ache in my knees, the ruined remaining shards of my heart poking through my chest, the pounding in my head making my thoughts numb. They haul me down countless hallways, there is no escape from what is coming to me.

I spot Jade in the halls, talking to a guard. She looks different, like she got plastic surgery on her nose overnight. She sees me and her jaw drops. I can barely keep my eyes on her.

"Julian… oh god…" she leans down and takes my face in her hands. I try to tell her to get her fucking hands off me, but my throat is so sore, I can't voice a single syllable. Jade sits on her knees and looks up at the guards, she nods at them and they sit me up so I'm facing her.

"We're going to get you out of here." she whispers.

A thousand questions are clouding my mind, but I don't say a word. I just narrow my eyes at her, a guard kneels down next to her. I start to panic; empty hallway, guards have me surrounded, Jade is right in front of me and now she might just have a knife hidden in her dress-

"Julian- Julian it's me, Gabrielle Evans. Remember me from the Selection? And Officer Smith?" she gestures to the guard next to her. My eyes widen as I do remember an Officer Smith at the palace (probably the only guard I can name at the top of my head), and Gabrielle was the girl I kept forgetting. The girl I never went on a single date with.

And she is impersonating Jade Huang to save my life.

I start to apologize for always neglecting her, but she puts a hand over my mouth to shut me up.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, alright? We don't have much time before Jade wakes up. You're going to be okay, we're bringing you back to Illea."

"I'd rather you just kill me now." I croak. Tears of pain blur my vision from saying this one sentence. Gabrielle gasps and shakes her head.

"No, no no no. Do you even care about April at all? She lost everything, you know. If she lost you too, it would absolutely _destroy her_-"

Time freezes for me in that moment.

"What?" I'm paralyzed. Gabrielle pauses and she stares at me.

"I don't know what they told you… but April's not dead, Julian. She's alive in Illea and she needs you now more than ever, you're not going to die, okay?"

I won't.

I made a promise to her that I wouldn't die.

And hell I am going to keep it.

"Okay. Do what you need to do."


	35. Chapter 35

April

Gracie has my powers. I don't know how. I don't know why. I don't know how long it will stay on her.

But I do know that her having my powers is what's keeping her alive.

We're both sitting on a bench in the garden, my arms are wrapped around her glowing figure. Her head rests on my shoulder, I hold her little hand in mine, and stroke her sparkling purple hair with the other. I told her that mommy and daddy are gone, Julie is on a business trip and will be back soon. We just have to wait.

"April?" she squeaks.

"Yes, Gracie?"

"Who killed mommy and daddy?" a glittering tear falls to the grass.

"Very very bad men." is all I can get out.

"What did they look like?"

"They… they had green uniforms. And they were tall."

"Why?" she whispers.

"I don't know… Julie never told me."

"He never told me either."

"You know he only keeps those things from us to protect us. He doesn't want you to be scared, Gracie. He wants you to be innocent and safe."

"Well, that sure turned out well for all of us now, didn't it?" she sighs. For a second I feel like laughing, because she's right. Maybe if he'd told us we could have been more prepared. But I can't just blame everything on him, he was obviously trying his best.

No one wanted this to happen.

A cell phone buzzes in my pocket. I remember a guard handing me one of these before Gabby left, and he showed me how to use it. Gracie and I start walking toward the palace doors for better reception, and I answer the phone.

"Hello?" I sound scared.

"April is that you? Is everything alright?" Gabby.

"Um.. I don't really know. Is Julian-"

"He's with us. We're on our way back to the palace."

"Good, good. Very good…" I'm pushing the door open to go back inside, but on the edge of the horizon I see a line of soldiers. And they're all dressed in Green. They start advancing toward me and Gracie. She stares at them and I nearly drop the phone.

"Oh _god_…" I murmur.

"April?! What the hell is going on?" she nearly yells.

"Gabby… who's Qin Huang?" my voice trembles. The line is silent.

"Gabby? Gabby are you still there?" I begin to panic.

"I'm going to hand you over to Julian, he's losing his mind over here."

_Julian_.

"April? April are you there?" his panicked, broken voice reaches me. Oh god I haven't heard his voice in forever I miss him so much and he's alive and he's coming back to me.

"Julian? Oh my god you're alive, I thought you were dead DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN-"

"I know, I know. April… April I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I brought you into all this-"

"No. No, you have nothing to be sorry for, please-"

"I know what happened in Hansport. To your parents. I thought you… _where are you!?_"

"I'm in the palace."

"Oh _GOD_. April… what's going on? _Why are you there!?_" he sounds terrified.

"I- I didn't kn-know if you were dead, so Gabby and I came here-"

"Why is Gabby turning pale?! What did you tell her?!" he's yelling now.

"Oh god he sees me. He's staring right at me-"

"WHO!"

"Qin Huang." I whisper.

Julian drops the cell phone, and the line goes dead as it shatters on the floor.

Gracie sees the green uniforms, she knows that those people are New Asians.

I have a strong feeling we're both about to die.

"Gracie…" I reach for her glowing, radiant, violet apparition.

"_They killed mommy and daddy… didn't they?_" her voice doesn't sound like her own.

I stare down at her, my eyes wide and my jaw slack.

"Gracie… Gracie, we need to get inside-"

"_NO! They killed them! They killed them and now they will pay!_" her eyes light up like balls of fire. She is no longer human, she's all lit up and fueled with rage and heartbreak. She turns toward the army and they all stop in their tracks. They all gawk at her, but the little princess has only one thing on her mind.

Vengeance.

The earth shatters beneath her every step, her feet suspended in the air. Her scintillating hair flies around her face like she's caught in a tornado. I'm glued to the spot where I'm standing, watching in awe and horror as Gracie trails a crack in the earth. She's mere feet from the Emperor of New Asia, and he's looking down at her in fear.

What happens next happens too fast. She starts screaming, just one long never ending screech that tears holes in my ears. All the light stored up inside her blasts out at all the uniformed men. It's a blinding hyper beam, and it's killing- disintegrating- every single person that it hits.

I imagine her as a sand dune in the middle of the desert during a sandstorm. She slowly disappears, it starts at the top of her head. Moves down her neck, shoulders, her chest, hips, legs. All of it just blows away, and gets lost like the dust particles in the afternoon sun.

Just like that.

She kills an entire army in less than ten seconds, using the light that was keeping her alive.

And she's gone.


	36. Chapter 36

Julian

We're back at the palace.

Doctors were working on me all the way home, and now that we're here I can walk well again. Gabby and Officer Smith will stay here, along with all the guards that came on my rescue mission. Hopefully everyone here is still alive.

When I walk in, the place seems in good enough shape (minus the totalled red convertible in the corner of the Great Hall). Gabby and Smith go to check on all the survivors in the dungeon, I go off to find April.

On our very short phone call, I knew that when April mentioned Qin Huang… it meant that he was about to break into the palace. He and his army.

But I don't see any green guards anywhere. Maybe Qin Huang didn't even get in the palace.

I open the doors to the castle commons, and immediately look up at the sky. It's a deep purple, and gives everything around me a faint, violet glow.

It's gorgeous out here.

A long way down the path, I walk into the open field and spot April staring up at the sky. She's lying down on her back and her purple hair is fanned out around her head on the grass.

I can't describe how beautiful she looks, or how relieved I am that she's still here.

I walk up to her, and lay down on the grass wordlessly. She looks over at me and smiles.

"Hey." she whispers. After everything we've been through, that's the first thing she says. I can't help but laugh. Just once. I look into her eyes and suddenly I'm very confused.

"Your eyes…" I murmur.

"What about them?"

"Haven't they always been purple?"

"Violet, actually."

"Not anymore."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Your eyes are blue… like mine. And you're hair is lavender."

She props herself on her elbows and looks at me.

"Is my hair glowing?" she asks.

"No. It's just purple… but you look beautiful."

She smiles and leans in to kiss me, I wrap a protective arm around her.

"Julian…" she whispers.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I brought Gracie back to life."

"...You what?" I rasp.

"It was only for a day… she's gone now." she looks like she's about to start crying.

"Tell me everything."

April takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky.

"Just… don't freak out, okay, promise?"

"I promise."

She doesn't speak for a minute, I watch as the wind rustles the grass.

"My mom told me that… my grandmother fell in love with an alien, and that it gave her extraterrestrial powers. It wasn't passed down to my mother, but it was passed down to me. So… my grandma told me that once I found love, once I knew what love _is_, it would be passed on to someone else…."

She looks over at me, I'm trying to comprehend everything that she's saying.

"So, your grandmother passed them onto you… and you passed them onto…?"

"Gracie."

I say nothing, and wait for her to continue.

"But Gracie… she was already dead, the powers I gave her were what was keeping her alive."

"You don't have powers anymore." I whisper.

She shakes her head no, and I know why her eyes aren't purple anymore.

Blue is the natural color of her eyes. Just like me.

"I don't know how I passed them down, but maybe it had something to do with thinking you were dead. In some ways, it made me realize how much I love you."

I can't help myself, I lean in and kiss her. She smiles.

"Once I knew what love is, once I knew that I'd found it… all of it left me. All the light, the crazy things I could do.. it all went into Gracie."

"How did she disappear?"

"She knew that New Asians were the ones that killed Maxon and America. We saw them on the horizon walking toward us. That was while I was on the phone with you."

I sigh. "April… I must tell you that.. _I have never been more terrified_ in my life, than I was in that moment."

"Oh believe me… I was scared too."

Scared isn't a big enough word for it, but I continue to listen.

"The army was marching toward us… Gracie started screaming at them. Her anger was so powerful that it was ripping cracks in the earth, and all the power I had just given her… it all came shooting out at everyone. It was just a beam of light and it was killing them in seconds. It was all her energy she was giving away, and it ended her so fast." a tear slides down her cheek and I wipe it away with my thumb. Her lip quivers and I instinctively put my arms around her, she buries her face in my chest.

"I thought…" she sobs. "I thought I had brought her back, Julian. She was just a little girl."

I honestly feel like crying too, but I know I have to be strong for her.

"Hey, hey don't be sad. Do you know how many lives she saved? Those people were going to break in the palace, and take over Illea. But Gracie stopped them…"

She looks up at me, it's hard to see her because my eyes are getting so damn wet.

"She's a hero." she whispers.

That's when my tears fall, and April kisses them away one by one.

"April?" I whisper.

"Yes, Julian?"

"Why is the sky purple?"

She laughs, "The question is 'Why is the sky blue?'."

I roll my eyes. "You know what I mean, sweetheart."

She sighs.

"Right after she disappeared. That was when the sky turned purple. I haven't been able to stop staring at it."

We're lying in the grass, staring up at the violet sky in all its glory. Neither of us speaks for a long time.

"Are you asleep?" I ask her a couple hours later.

"No. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"How when I leave I'll have absolutely nowhere to go."

"You're not leaving. I'm not letting you."

"I thought you said I couldn't come back until it was safe."

"It's safe now. The New Asians are gone, they're not coming back."

"I don't even know how to be a princess, much less a Queen."

"I don't want you to worry about that."

"But isn't that the point? If I can't be a Queen then I may as well just-"

"No. No." I sigh.

"Why?" she sounds so sad but so hopeful.

"Because you are my life. You are my whole family. You are my everything. And if you think there is any chance in hell that I am going to send you home… you are sorely mistaken."

We're nose to nose now, and she's listening to my every word.

"I love you." she whispers. I kiss her deeply, and she tries so hard not to moan but I know she wants to. I can't stop kissing her and I keep pulling her closer, she has her fingers in my hair and her taste that I love is filling my mouth.

Champagne and strawberries.

"I love you more." I murmur.

"My god, do you know how cheesy that line is?" she slurs. I laugh and scoop her up in my arms, I begin to carry her back to the palace.

"Have I ever told you how perfect you are?" I grin at her.

She shrugs, "Maybe once or twice…"

I sigh and shake my head at her.

"So I was thinking…" I begin but she stops me.

"I told you to never think around me, Julian. I don't need all the calculations-"

"SO! I WAS THINKING!" I yell as I throw my head back. She starts laughing hard.

"What were you thinking, my dear?" she yells back.

"Shut up, that's my thing." I attempt to feign anger but it doesn't work.

"Tell me now." she says as she wraps her arms around my neck.

"So I was thinking… you know…we have the whole day left to do anything we want. I say you wait right here in this spot and I'll be right back." I set her on the ground and she crosses her arms. April raises one eyebrow at me.

"This better not be some prank!" she yells as I run back inside.

I sprint up to my room and quickly grab the small box under my pillow. I'm grinning so big I feel like my face is going to fall off and I throw the doors open to the common. She shrieks before she realizes that it's just me, and she uncrosses her arms.

Damn she looks so beautiful.

"Oh so it was a prank? You just wanted to scare the living shit out of me."

"Sweetheart," I take her hands in mine and she rolls her eyes. "This isn't how a royal proposal is supposed to go." I grin and her jaw drops.

"Julian? Julian, I swear if this is a joke…" Her voice trails off as I get down on one knee in front of her.

"April…" saying her name is making my heart melt with joy.

"Julian?" she whispers, she covers her mouth with both her hands.

The tiny box flips open, and a crystal ring with three violet gemstones on it glints in the sun.

"I love you with every fiber in my being, every beat of my heart, every breath that I take, all of it is yours to keep. I would be dead if it wasn't for you. You saved my life, but my life isn't worth living if I don't have you with me."

_Oh my god_ she mouths, her eyes are getting wet and she's smiling so wide-

"Will you marry me?" I ask her. She starts nodding uncontrollably, and she's suddenly crying she's so happy

"Yes." she whispers.

~_fin~_

**Sorry guys but this is the last chapter *sobs once very loudly*! HOWEVER! I have a very good idea for a sequel (obviously not as long but still very well written), if any of you want a sequel please tell me in a review!**

**Thank you for reading my story I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! :D**


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